


burgeoning replacements

by thepartwhere



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M, Yikes, but Chain of Memories will probably necessitate that because of certain events planned, pacing is a bit off but it'll stabilize, we try not to use in-game scenes too much, we're still the worst at tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-11 19:20:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 55,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13530900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepartwhere/pseuds/thepartwhere
Summary: When a strong heart meets a dark fate, a Nobody is born. With only memories to keep her from true nothingness, Tai – or whatever her new name is – seeks to fulfill her Other's last wish, and to know why she slowly begins to feel for the very man who taught her to feign emotion. Axel/OC





	1. memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So, things you need to know for this fic: Sora has an older sister here (the OC). Probably a Mary-Sue cliche at the point, but we hope you read on and decide for yourself after giving the available chapters a try. We do try to make more well-rounded sister characters, so let us know what you think. Enjoy!

"I'll pick first! I'm the eldest."

"Whaaat? Okay..."

Beneath a vast ocean of twinkling stars, two children sat together against a wide windowsill in a house on a great island. They shared true blue eyes and an inordinate amount of caramel brown hair, but one was nine with all the brazen confidence of an older sister, and the other was a boy of five whose heart was filled with light **[1]**. The room was a complete mess, littered with childhood baubles, wooden swords, and plastic doctor's kits, but to them, despite the darkness that filled the room, it was another world safe from a wretched curse called "curfew."

The boy watched his sister with wide eyes, trying not to show his impatience. "Tai, pick already!"

"Shh!" Tai clicked her tongue, glancing nervously at the door. "Sora, didn't you listen to what I said earlier? My friends said you have to be  _careful_  picking out a star for yourself! The one whose light you choose will lead you to your destiny. Its destiny is connected to yours forever."

"But Riku said—"

"My friends and I are  _older_  than Riku," announced the girl, indignant not for the game but for the pride she felt as an older child. "Wouldn't we know better?"

Lips pursed, Sora looked doubtful, but murmured, "I guess..."

Tai sighed, closing her eyes. When she regained her composure, she opened them again to seek each light in the sky. There were so many of them, but her friends said  _only one_. Even if it was just a game, she had to pick a good one. "All right..." She raised a hand out the open window, pointing to the brightest one she could spot. "That one."

As soon as she uttered the words, the star winked and disappeared.

Sora's hand squeezed her shoulder in alarm. "Your light!"

"Tai? Sora?" a groggy, muffled voice called from the hallway.

The two turned to each other in alarm and leapt noisily into the shared blanket, only for the older one to realize that there was still a rapping at the door. Tai slipped out from under the sheets, looking over her shoulder to shush at the wide eyes staring at her from the sheets. Opening the door slightly, she craned her neck up to look at a man who shared their straight hair and complexion. Tai wore a clearly feigned smile—gritted teeth and all—as she greeted, "...Hi, dad."

Their young father crossed his arms above her, levelling at her the same reproachful look she would give her brother. "Tai, was that Sora your mom and I heard? It's ten o' clock already."

"N-No," she answered, pulling the door open to show him the lump under the blanket. "He's asleep. That was...me! I saw a...bug...and...I'm sorry...?"

"Oh, good," he said, voice louder as his eyes darted to the bed, "because you know what they say. Children who sleep late have an  _awfully_  hard time growing taller."

Not another moment passed when Sora leapt up on the bed, sheets thrown to the floor, hair as wild as the look in his eye. He cried out, "They do!?"

" _Tai,_ " their father sighed.

Tai groaned, glaring at the boy. "Sora!"

"Oh!" He looked over himself and realized his mistake with a sheepish grin. Slowly, he faced the man, shoulders shrugging. "Sorry, dad..."

"Go to sleep," insisted their father, though he couldn't help his own amused chuckle. " _Both_  of you. You have all summer to play, you know."

"Okay, dad," said Sora, guileless as always, "Good night!"

Once the door was shut, Tai leapt back onto the bed in a hurried bid for the window. She followed her brother's gaze and couldn't help the sudden sadness that enveloped her. She knew it was just a game—Quistis said it was just a legend and probably wasn't true—but for some reason, it was like her heart had dropped into her stomach. Like she'd just seen something terrible, or just found out that something just as awful was about to happen again and she couldn't do a thing about it.

"My star..." she murmured, trying to keep her eyes from welling with tears. She didn't believe in the game at all, so why did she feel this way? "It disappeared... Is that why... Does that mean..."

Sora glanced in alarm at the sight of her quivering lip. Tai wasn't the kind of person who cried a lot, if at all. He didn't think he'd ever seen her like that. "D-Don't be sad!" said the boy, grabbing her hands. "Tai, you can have my star!"

The girl had begun to sniff, ears ringing from holding back inexplicable tears, but she controlled herself and turned to her brother. "...What?"

"You can have the light from my star," he grinned. "We can share it."

"...Do you think that's allowed?"

"It should be," he decided. "You're my sister and I'm your brother! We're always going to be connected anyway, right?"

"I guess that makes sense..." She took a deep breath and nodded, squeezing the boy's hands. He could be such a baby sometimes, but there were moments like this, too, when it almost seemed like he was the one taking care of her instead. "All right. Go ahead, Sora."

"Okay! I pick— _whoa_! Tai, look!"

Before the boy could choose, the sky seemed to fall—or at least, the stars did, bright lights hurtling into nothingness across the dark chasm above and into the abyss below. "I pick that one!" Sora jumped again, tugging at his sister's arm. "I pick them!"

"You can't pick a meteor shower!" Tai protested, shoving him off of her, but Sora was too busy gaping at the falling stars to care.

For a split second, Tai saw the light reflect in his eyes and thought the game might actually be true for him—but it couldn't be. That horrid sensation from her chest was gone, and all that was left was the need to roll her eyes at the five year-old next to her.

No way in the world could he ever take care of her—it would always have to be the other way around. He couldn't even take a little game seriously.

* * *

Twenty more pages.

Lying on her stomach on her twin-sized bed was a girl, four years older now, the wide windows to her right shut tightly to avoid the night breeze. With a small flashlight in one hand, she flipped through the pink paperback she held in the other. Her swinging legs paused as she hissed at a papercut. And then, finally, she found the end of the chapter. Twenty- _eight_  more pages. Once she finished this chapter, it was nighty-night for her.

Tai glanced at the clock face-down on her desk and giggled triumphantly. It was probably about two in the morning. Oh, well. She was so sure they were going to kiss by tonight! They had to. All that sexual tension  _had_ to go somewhere, and she wasn't going to sleep until one of them acknowledged their feelings. Or until she passed out.

"Stop lying!" said a still tiny voice from the adjoining room, "Why are you lying?"

"I'm not lying," answered a calmer inflection.

Tai paused, lips pursed in annoyance, but tried to move on with her reading.

"Yes, you are! That can't be true."

"It's the  _only_ truth. Everyone knows it, too. Except you, I guess."

Tai grumbled, shutting her book and rolling off the bed. When she'd turned twelve last year, her parents had set up the empty room next door as Sora's to "give her some privacy." Some privacy this was. Every time Riku came to sleep over, they were just so  _noisy_. She didn't mind babysitting them in the day, but this was clearly cordoned off as  _Tai time_. She was supposed to be allowed to read her romance novels without having their voices take her out of the wonderful world of men and sweet nothings Relm had introduced her to, so  _what_  were they doing?

Prepared to give the two a piece of her mind, the teenager stalked toward the door—only for it to swing open and knock her on her tailbone.

"Tai!"

She groaned, reaching for where it ached, and glared up at the two boys standing expectantly in front of her. " _What_?"

Sora gave an innocent glance around the room they once shared. "Did we wake you up?"

"Nah," grinned Riku, motioning to the book on the bed. "Look, Tai was reading a  _love_  book!"

"Gross!"

Snatching the novel, Tai threw it under the blanket and glared at them both. "What do you want? You two are lucky mom and dad are dead asleep by midnight."

"Oh, right," Sora murmured, face falling again. "Tai, Riku said Santa doesn't exist!"

"He  _doesn't_ ," said the silver-haired boy, smiling triumphantly at Sora. "Tai would know. She's older. She probably helps your parents buy fake Santa gifts, you know."

"What!? Is that true, Tai?"

"That's enough!" Tai ignored Riku for the moment. She guessed it was natural to brag about knowing something over a friend at that age, but  _nobody_  spoiled things for her brother. Except her. And  _this_  hadn't even crossed her mind! She had half a mind to agree with the smug, silver-haired brat next to her, but Sora had the saddest expression—as if... well, as if she'd told him Santa didn't exist! As much as she enjoyed pushing and teasing him, she just couldn't stand that look on his face.

"Don't be gullible, Sora," she snapped. "Of course Santa exists. Get over here." She unhooked the window latches and opened them to reveal stars strewn across a clear midnight sky. The breeze felt cold, but a tiny warmth naturally wrapped itself around her arm – Sora. And Riku next to him. "Remember how Kairi came here after that meteor shower?"

"Yeah..."

" _Obviously_ ," Tai said, trying to sound as sagely as possible, "she came from another world. Where else? And if she can come from one world from out there, imagine how many other worlds there are!" She looked to Sora, staring above intently, only to catch Riku watching her with what appeared to be a careful eye. "What do you think, Riku?"

"I don't know," he shrugged coolly. "What do you think?"

"Hmph. Probably as many as there are stars in the sky. And if we're going by that, then one of those worlds has to have Santa in it. How can it not?"

"I guess..." Sora murmured, turning away from the window to seek Riku's approval. The boy shrugged.

Tai resisted the urge not to roll her eyes. He believed  _Riku_  over her? She wanted to get angry and remind him which of them was the eldest in the room, but that would probably scare Sora off. Nothing made Sora more combative than a negative reaction. So she just sighed.

"Believe what you want."

* * *

Some days, Tai woke up past midnight, right before dawn, and shivered under her blanket despite the closed windows. It was probably just the dark and that one time Relm, Gau and Quistis were telling scary stories about things happening at the odd hours of the night, but a peculiar feeling of dread would wash over her that she couldn't quite shake off until she walked around the house and made sure everything was fine.

This night was different, though. From bed, she could see the twinkling Christmas lights hanging off the roof and the full moon right outside her window, and knew she was happy. All the same, walking around at nighttime had come to be a relaxing pastime for her when she couldn't sleep. She rolled out of bed—narrowly avoiding falling flat on the floor—and left her room. Tai was headed downstairs in silence, trying not to freeze to death when a loud, sudden noise made her yelp and cling to the mahogany railing. She froze in fear at the house's renewed silence, even as holiday lights illuminated home, and took a few seconds to calm down and start giggling in relief.

It was Sora's snoring! But what was he doing down there?

The living room was set up so that the large Christmas tree stood next to the window, across the door, with a full view of the ara. The velvet, L-shaped couch wasn't far from it, with a low table in between, while gifts from friends all over town were neatly segregated in the room. That would be her doing. She'd arranged them all by the receiver, then by size. Hers and Sora's were nearest the tree, of course—which was naturally where the noise was coming from.

Sora lay sprawled over the rug, probably having rolled off the pillow earlier that night. Yawning, Tai crouched in front of him and turned his face over.

"Ew!" She wiped her cold, wet hand against her pajamas and gingerly moved him to the pillow by pushing at his temple and shoulder instead. "Hey, Sora, get up. Go to bed before mom and dad catch you down here."

"Gonna..." the boy said incoherently, head falling back against the floor as soon as she let go, "fall asleep soon..."

"You're already asleep. Sora, wake up!"

"I'm awake," he mumbled, eyes fluttering for a moment.

"What are you doing down here?" she insisted, poking at his foot with hers. "Come on, already. Go upstairs."

"I'm gonna prove that Santa..."

"That Santa what?" Tai frowned. After that one night a few months ago, he'd gone around telling all his friends he didn't believe in Santa, completely ignoring her theory about the stars and the worlds. She'd been pretty bitter about it for a week or so until Quistis reminded her that she was getting angry about an eight year-old's attention span. It wasn't like she even believed in the old man, either. It was just irritating that he'd chosen to value Riku's opinion over hers. "I thought you said—"

"I mean...!" Sora rolled over next to her, sluggishly but violently slapping his arm against her stomach by accident. He didn't seem to notice as he tried to talk over a tongue that wouldn't obey him in his half-sleep. "I mean, I'm...I'm gonna prove Santa  _doesn't_  exist... Doesn't...!"

"...Okay." Tai grabbed his arm and prepared to tug in vain. "Can't you do that in your room? Your back is gonna kill you tomorrow."

"No," he insisted, tugging back as his eyes closed again. His words began to slur to the point of complete incoherence. "Just stay... Tai. Don't...wanna see him too?"

Tai watched him curiously until he was snoring again. There was no way she was carrying him upstairs, and she didn't want to bother mom and dad. Besides—his words had her thinking. Was it a peer pressure thing all this time?

"Gullible as ever, Sora," she couldn't help but smile. She guessed she could deal with their parents getting angry in the morning, but this idiot wasn't staying here alone. Getting another pillow from the couch and one of their Christmas quilts from the closet, she took her place on the rug and tucked him under the makeshift blanket with her.

By the time an old, white-bearded man in red dropped by bearing gifts, the whole house was finally asleep.

* * *

Eyes closed, Tai stood under the shower and took a deep breath. Cold droplets pelted at her skin, waking her along with the sun shining through the high window.

Big day today. She was going for an interview at the Town Clinic where, fates willing, she would work for the rest of summer to figure out if it was what she wanted to study and do for the rest of her life. Sora was certain it was in the bag, what with Kairi's father's recommendation, but she didn't think babysitting them as children and washing their wounds over at the play island was something she could put on her résumé. All the same, she secretly hoped it would help. There was nothing else she could really imagine doing at the island. Nothing else she could really do, anyway.

Just as soon as she rinsed off, Tai heard her lampstand shudder against the door as it slammed open. "Tai!" someone called outside. "Huh? Tai?"

Hurriedly dressing into a stuffy blouse and skirt, she squeezed the water from her hair with her towel and opened the door into her room. "Sora," she said, quirking a brow, "It's...not yet lunch time. Why are you up?"

"There you are!" he grinned, reaching for her wrist and pulling her outside. "Let's go, today's the day!"

"What day?"

"Don't you remember?"

Nearly stumbling down the stairs in Sora's haste, she barely noticed the two teenagers waiting by the living room: a redhead with a bright smile sat by the couch, while a silver-haired boy with a self-possessed stance leaned comfortably against the door. "Hey, everyone," Tai waved, still in the process of drying her hair. "What day?"

Greeting her with a familiar smile, Riku shot her brother an irritated glance. Kairi could only giggle at Sora's excitement and said, "We're just going to the play island."

"Oh." Tai was pretty sure they'd been at the play island every day since school was out, so why was this day any different? "So what's going on?" she laughed. "Still need a chaperone after all this time?"

" _No_ , but we do need help to build a raft and see those other worlds!" Sora answered, haughty tone like it was the most obvious thing on the islands. "Tai, you said you'd help us build the raft when the time came! Didn't you say you wanted to go, too?"

"...Other worlds," she repeated slowly after her brother. It was only when Riku shook his head and Kairi looked on innocently that she realized what he was going on about. "Oh, right! Of course!"

She couldn't remember how old they were when it happened, but some years ago, the three of them had begun to entertain hopes of getting off the island—what with there being nothing to do but school and all. They shared that with Tai, always left to babysit them even as they grew older. And it was a fun pastime, imagining what kind of worlds beyond their island could be out there.  _As many as there are stars in the sky,_ Sora would remind her sometimes. The truth was, everyone at the island went through that phase at one point. But then, they would realized as they grew up, no one had ever gone—who came back, anyway. There was the story of that one guy everyone knew about...but either he didn't survive that trip out to the horizon, or things were so good outside that the islands weren't worth coming back to.

But Tai liked the islands now. It could get monotonous, sure, but the idea of working at the Clinic was…nice. It was a good choice for the future, her dad agreed. How else could she support them when the time came and that rested on her shoulders? Still, for as long as Sora didn't have to face the real world, she would continue to humor him. Besides, there was no way  _Riku_  thought they could actually get out that way, was there? Kairi, she could see as entertaining such notions, but Riku had always been the more practical one.

"Right!" she repeated, putting on a wide smile. "But I can't today, Sora. It's my interview for the Clinic, remember? Please thank your dad again for me, by the way, Kairi."

"Sure thing, Tai," Kairi nodded. "I'm sure you'll do great at the interview, though!"

"Aww!" Sora whined. "But it won't be the same without you!"

Tai lifted her apologetic gaze from her brother and glanced between his friends. "Hmm… I have a feeling Riku can do it."

"Probably all of it," he smirked.

"That's a definite possibility, with these two," Tai chuckled, especially at Sora and Kairi's huffing protests. "But I'll be able to go tomorrow. And are you sure you have all your supplies already? Don't forget: you need food and water, extra material for the raft in case it needs repairs, and a first-aid kit at least. I can assemble that last one by tomorrow, but the others, you'll have to collect yourself."

"Yep, we'll collect all of that stuff at the island after we build the raft! Maybe dad has some rope in the basement…" Sora wondered aloud, forgetting his disappointment already. "Anyway, okay. Tell me how it goes tonight?"

"Until you get tired of me talking about how terribly it went. See you tonight!"

* * *

The next day, Tai joined them on the play island. Behind the treehouses that parents of generations past had built for the children of the islands, she stared blankly at a set of logs bundled together and the piece of cloth tied to the mast above them. She didn't have the heart to even call it a raft.

Sora stood next to her, hands clasped behind his head in a proud, easy stance. "What do you think?"

"Uh," she answered, trying to find the words. "Uh... the base looks steady. Here's an idea: why don't we just use the boats?"

"Because we wouldn't be together that way," explained Sora, shaking his head at her in disappointment. "What if a big tide comes along?"

"Right," said Kairi, leaning against the mast and patting it with confidence. "This way, we can't get separated."

Tai tried not to sigh. Only Sora—and Kairi, who was just as thoughtless as he was sometimes—could put a raft and a big tide in a single thought and not come to the conclusion that it was a recipe for disaster. "I guess that makes sense. But you know this is going to be cold, right? As soon as the waves get rocky, the raft will bob up and down and we'll all be wet."

"At least we'll be free," Riku cut in, as Sora drifted from the conversation into being sent off by Kairi to collect more provisions.

"Free?"

"Don't you ever get tired of just sitting around on the island, Tai?" he asked, meeting her incredulous gaze with one of his own—only more intense. "I mean, do you  _really_ want to stay here for the rest of your life without knowing what's out there?"

Tai cleared her throat at the question. Everyone had thoughts like that at this age—even Quistis—so she shouldn't have been surprised. But there was a gravity in Riku's voice that almost frightened her. Like he believed that he could actually leave the islands on this thing. Or whatever way. "Sure," she shrugged in reply, managing to keep the boy's gaze. Maybe it was that she'd never seen him this serious, even if he'd always been the type to brood. "But I told you guys that I got the job at the Clinic yesterday. Unless I find something else I can earn munny with, I'm going to need it, too. Why would I leave?"

"Because you're not afraid," Riku insisted. "Or you shouldn't be. Are you?"

"No," she answered at once, almost scoffing. But she didn't pick fights with teens three years her junior, so she kept her voice steady. "You think an adventure would be difficult? Wandering around aimlessly?" Tai chuckled, regaining her self-assurance. "We're islanders, Riku. Foraging and sleeping around nature when we have to is natural to us. Besides—I'm happy here."

"Really? You're not even curious?" he asked, almost like he was taunting her. But she was sure that was all in her head. "Let's get out of here. See other worlds. There's got to be something you can do besides working at the  _Clinic_ ," he spat. "Besides... Are you really gonna let  _Sora_ run around away from home by himself?"

They both glanced over their shoulders. Behind them, Kairi was working on something small in her hands—neither could see—while Sora was attempting to roll a boulder out of the way of one of the greater rock faces dividing the play island in half. Grunting, he pushed his back against it, then his shoulders, to no avail, until he finally found the strength to use his hands instead. And then, sweating into his clothes, he grinned triumphantly the thing. He'd moved it by a few inches, then snaked his hand into the small crevice to grab...

A mushroom.

"...I'll think about it," Tai murmured, doubtfully. Riku had a point, but this was all assuming that they would succeed in getting off the island. Which they couldn't. "But in the likely chance that I stay—will you take care of Sora?"

Riku blinked at that. "... _Me_?"

"It'll fall on us, right?" she smiled. "You know you've always been the more responsible one out of your trio. You wouldn't lead them astray. I had to ask—and for Kairi, too, of course."

"Of course," Riku spoke, boldly this time.

"I'm going to go check the other side of the island," Sora announced, clapping off the dirt that had gathered in his hands from picking at the crevice. "Hey, Riku,  _you_  should do some work, too!"

"After building the raft by myself yesterday?" the boy turned back, any trace of the weight from moments ago gone from his features. "No way!"

Sora squinted at him, a cheeky smile spreading over his mouth. "Wanna race it?"

"Sure. I'll give you a chance—to get the left in the dust, that is."

"Yeah, right!" Sora laughed, and ran off to the starting line. Crying foul, Riku followed suit.

Kairi pocketed her little project and approached Tai with a shake of her head. "Looks like they're at it again—guess I'll go be the judge! Are you staying here, Tai?"

She was already positioning herself by the shore. "Someone's bound to get hurt, so—I'll wait here."

Kairi giggled. "Just like old times, huh?"

Smiling, Tai nodded and stretched her legs out on the sand, allowing the water to draw up to her thighs and pull her toward the sea, if only by a little. She had a mind to pick through the first-aid kit she'd brought, prepare for the inevitable wounds one or both of them would sustain shoving each other out of the way, but set it down for now. She wasn't sure why she'd even really brought the thing here, or why she'd given Riku that talk about taking care of Sora.

Maybe a part of her believed...

But it was impossible. They were only children who didn't understand anything about the world. Tai turned her eyes to the endless horizon and the clouds past it. The early afternoon sun hung in the sky, the calm water didn't stir, and seagulls continued to squawk over waves that endlessly brushed over the shore, removing all traces of any arrival or departure on its white sands. Just like any other day on the island.

Why had she even been worried? There was no way they were leaving this place, and nothing would ever change.

* * *

Something was wrong.

Tai sat by the open window and peered out into—nothing. It was too dark. Which should have been natural, given that it was nighttime and the window faced the sea, but she'd set up torches for herself to use after dinner on the way to the beach. If she hadn't been safe under the house's stark white lights, she might have been afraid.

But she wasn't. It just struck her as odd, the lack of the ocean breeze. It came in whispers, usually, keeping her family company over dinner until it lulled them to sleep, but tonight was different. The cold in the air felt still; like bated breath. And Tai could only hear the waves and her mother's cooking—no animal, no one else in the neighborhood close to the sea—and beyond that, nothing.

" _Achoo!_ "

Meanwhile, lying prone on their home's living room couch, a middle-aged man wrinkled his stuffy nose and sighed. His bleary eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, moving only to follow whoever passed him. A few seconds later, that turned out to be his wife.

Long brown hair brushed over her shoulder, she gave him a pitiful smile. "I told you to go to bed, honey."

"I'm fine," he groaned, though he was hardly coherent to those around him. "Besides, it'll save me time coming down for dinner again. This is for the best."

"It's  _not_  for the best, Dad," said Tai, coming around from the window and frowning over him. To her father, she looked like the younger version of her mother. Except the straight hair that somehow managed to find itself messy, of course—that was always his. But the rest, especially that pout, she and her brother certainly shared with his wife. He never failed to remind them of that. "What you need is sleep and water. I already told you that Sora and I could bring the food up!"

"I suppose I should take it from someone who works at the Clinic now," he replied in the most juvenile way possible, rolling his eyes, but chuckled despite himself. "But no, Tai. I'm still all right."

"This is where Sora gets it from," his wife sighed. "You just won't stay in bed until you're nearly passed out, hmm? And even then, you'll drag your feet."

"By then, I wouldn't be able to help it." He wore a lopsided grin that belied his fatigue. "Where  _is_  Sora, anyway?"

As if the question triggered something in the air, that waiting Tai had felt seemed to end—a gust blew through the wide window and nearly knocked over the chair she'd taken next to it earlier. It clattered against the floor as she rushed to shut the window latch. And before she managed that, she thought she'd seen the most terrifying thing: a great ball of light in the sky that spritzed out into streaks of flashing lightning.

"What was that?" asked her father, whose blanket had fallen in the commotion. He groaned right with the thunder that seemed to shake the house.

"A storm," decided her mother, returning to the kitchen. "I'd better get these out while the power's still on. Tai, will you call your brother?"

Tai picked up her father's blanket and tossed it at him, then ran across the living room to the kitchen to close the windows there. "Hold on, mom. I'm shutting the rest of these just in case."

"It's fine.  _Sora, dinner's ready. Come on down!_ " the older woman shouted, turning off the stove and frowning. "Huh. He's usually running down the stairs before I'm finished calling.  _Sora?_ "

"Probably passed out from playing all day," Tai laughed. "I'll get him."

Another clap of thunder, and the lights were out. Her mother muttered under her breath and set to climbing the cupboards for candles to last them the night. Her father groaned a little more in the living room.

"Sora?"

Grabbing a flashlight by the kitchen counter, Tai headed for the stairs. Her heart felt heavy, or maybe it was fear of the storm. They didn't have rains much on the islands, thank goodness, but that meant they hadn't dealt with anything like this since she was younger than Sora.

"Hey, Sora, wake up!"

She could only hope everyone was safely inside their houses before the downpour began. Not that she could piece this together in any way. The weather was fine just this morning and nothing had seemed out of the ordinary...

"Sora?"

Tai nearly kicked his door down in her rising panic. The sight that greeted her wasn't any better: his window was open and there was no one in bed. The covers looked like they'd been kicked off. His room was a mess, which was its natural state, but that only made things worse. Outside, she spotted the play island—wracked with the lightning she hadn't imagined at all, the only light in the sudden dark.

"No—" She bolted, almost propelling herself against the doorframe in her haste to check every other room in the house before she practically flew down the stairs. If she was panting by the end of it, it was because her mind was in a whirl about what to do next. "Mom, Sora's not here!"

"What?"

"His window was  _open_. He must have left when he saw the lightning next to the play island," she gasped, searching the low light for her mother's eyes as the woman grabbed her by the elbows. "He must've gone for the raft. But he couldn't be that stupid. Except he  _can_ be. What do we do? He's out there. You know he loves climbing the window down—"

"Sora went where!?" their father gasped hoarsely, getting up on the couch. He squeezed his eyes shut, pained by the sudden activity.

Tai was already packing, rifling through the closet for her jacket and boots and flashlight. "Mom, stay here. I'm going out to look for him—"

"No!" her mother cried, snatching the jacket from her instead. "I'll find him. Stay here with your father—"

The wind howled outside. " _You_  stay here," Tai insisted, returning the woman's tight grip. "Mom, you haven't gone rowing since you taught  _me_ to, and if anything goes wrong, I go swimming all the time. I can handle a trip to the play island better than anybody. Maybe even in a storm. You stay here with dad. Okay? I'll find Sora. Maybe—Maybe he's at Riku's or Kairi's or something. Try there if you can," she said, though something told her that wasn't right. "The rain's going to come soon. I'll keep us safe at a treehouse if we can't make it back. Okay? This'll be quick. I promise."

She'd hardly even noticed her mother packing dinner into a little bag and stuffing it in her hands. "For if you can't come back first. You know I'd rather I go—"

"Mom—"

"I know." She pressed her hands against Tai's cheeks, planting a kiss on one of them and holding her arm on her way out the door. "Find Sora, Tai. And protect him."

Another flash of lightning, closer to them this time. Her mother watched her with a fear and worry she would rather never see again.

"Don't worry, mom. I will."

* * *

A girl with short, caramel brown hair opened true blue eyes to a new world. She was surrounded by skyscrapers with flashing neon lights, a city more colorful and vivid than the islands she remembered, vaguely, calling home. But for all its splendor, it was empty, and the night sky was hooded with clouds. No breeze brushed past her face. No moon in the sky, and no sign of life. All was still. Even...

_A storm. My family. The play island._

This made no sense. Wherever this was, she couldn't belong here. And yet...

Her body refused to move. It felt like lead, like she'd suffered some beating she couldn't quite remember. It was taxing just to lift her hand, and her fingers shook from the exertion. It fell lifelessly to her lap. There seemed only one thing, one person, one word, worth mustering the effort to utter.

"Sora."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] not literally, of course. Just a bit of literary flair. Also, it doesn't say only. I'm pointing this out because it was a bone of contention between me and Senna when she took a peek at Nit's work.
> 
> Since you've gone through the first chapter, here's a Mary-Sue hook we'll be dealing with, as fair warning-if you couldn't tell by the summary, she's a Nobody now, and will soon become a member of the Organization XIII. We hope you stick around to see how it's dealt with.


	2. recruitment

Axel scratched at his temple with two fingers, an old habit he'd decided to keep to remind Saïx that he wasn't a patient person. Of course, that would only work if Saïx were  _in_ the room.

He glanced over his shoulder, out the wide window, and into the darkness. Someday, Xemnas said, this would have the perfect view of Kingdom Hearts. He didn't really know how to feel about that, except that maybe, hopefully, he would have once honestly said, they wouldn't need Xemnas's help putting it up there.

"Going out with Saïx again?"

Demyx sat on the opposite side of the Grey Area, strumming at the sitar Saïx had talked about breaking one time or another. He had a little grin on his face as he spoke, even without looking at the redhead.

"Maybe. That a problem?"

"Easy," he answered, giving Axel an amused expression. "I just noticed you guys like going on evening strolls. Nothing wrong with that."

Before Axel could answer that it always happened to be evening around here, light, stiff footsteps warned them of another's approach. A blue-haired man his age emerged from the dark hallway, with two scars that formed an X across his face and golden eyes that settled coldly on the sitar player. "That is none of your concern, Demyx."

 _Finally_ , Axel would say, but Saïx didn't appreciate his being candid with him around the other members. Meanwhile, Demyx only raised his hands in surrender, shrugging off the overbearing, pointy-eared superior he didn't really care for. "Okay. Oh, while you're at it, maybe you should have a look out for that thing the Dusks have been talking about."

Axel quirked a brow, pretending not to see Saïx's motion to ignore him. "What thing?"

"You know," he shrugged, waving his hand as if that would help explain. "They've been saying something about smelling something new here. Or whatever you'd call it."

If looks could kill, Demyx would be drowning in his own attribute. "And you didn't think to investigate this yourself?"

"But Saïx," said the younger man, probably trying to sound as whiny as he could, "the city is crawling with Dusks. If they can't find them, what can  _I_ do?"

"Demyx, spare me this—"

"Makes sense," Axel cut in. "Anyway, it's probably just a new species of Heartless. They're popping up all over the city these days, thinking this place is their turf. Sure you don't want to join us picking a few off, Demyx?"

"Axel," Saïx frowned reproachfully, opening a Corridor of Darkness next to him.

Demyx didn't even need to take one glance at either of them to know he'd rather stay in. "Nah. You guys go on ahead and, uh," he dully pumped a fist for encouragement, "get those Heartless out of here."

"Very well," said Saïx. "And since you still have time, Demyx, I'd suggest taking up another mission. Your yearning to return to the castle should serve as sufficient motivation."

"What? But—"

"I expect a full report when we return," he said, and stepped into the Corridor.

Demyx scoffed, glaring at Axel. "Thanks a lot."

"Hey, you're the one who started talking. See ya," he grinned, and disappeared, too.

* * *

The girl picked up the pace. They were gaining on her.

Not long after her awakening, she realized that she wasn't alone in the dead, sleepless city. Hideous, silver humanoids—without bones, maybe?—slithered about like eels, eyeless but with wide mouths always talking, murmuring almost coherently. Opposing them were what appeared to her as shadows taking human form, eyes glowing yellow, milling about and retaliating whenever the silver ones attacked them. To her surprise, the latter could even sink into the ground and move across it to reach their assailants, like paintings flitting across walls.

The girl had come upon them out of the alley, only to sense that something—some _things_ —were close. She returned to crouch at her hiding place and watched as they appeared, silver and shadow alike. They were monsters, to be sure—intruders upon this world, since no world  _she_  knew could house creatures like them. But then this wasn't her world. Was  _she_  the intruder and this, their home world? It seemed like the most logical conclusion.

They could have a taste for people, for all she knew, though she wasn't willing to stick around and find out. If she was going to figure out how all of this had happened, she had to survive, first, and that meant avoiding them. It was a feat she'd succeeded at for almost four days already—not that she could tell very well, because this place seemed stuck at nighttime—but she had a feeling that they had sensed her as she did them, and she was starting to grow weak.

Some hours she could rest, break into one of the buildings and find shelter there, but the creatures were relentless. Now she was certain they were on the prowl for her. At this point, she probably knew the dark city by heart. Her goal was the white castle floating in the night sky, the shimmering path to which she had found yesterday—only to find it crawling with those silver things. It was either a haven for people seeking safety from the creatures, or their stronghold itself. She'd backed off to search for a separate entrance but found nothing. She would have to try entering again as soon as she shook this group off.

The farther she ran, though, dodging the main roads and searching for the most peaceful way to that castle, the more powerful her sense of the creatures rang. It almost overcame her, that sudden spike in power she could feel—and  _hear_ , she realized.

It was a man, bellowing out. She couldn't hear the words, but she could hear the silver ones murmur and the shadows squeak. The girl followed the source—not soon after, she came upon the most peculiar sight.

Two men, in fact, both robed fully in black, fighting off the shadows alongside the silver things. One was red-haired with tattoos beneath his eyes. He throw spiked, burning, circular weapons, while the other—he was the one she heard screaming. Even with his blue hair, pointed ears, and two scars crossed over his face, what took the girl most by surprise were his pure yellow eyes—almost like the shadows, but frenzied, coming at her with a spiked claymore—

_Coming at her, screaming "Begone!"—_

The girl knew, in that split second, that trying to dodge would have been fruitless. She was too slow. All she could do was lift her arms over her face, turning her head away—

A barrier of translucent green shimmered to life before her, absorbing his terrible attack but throwing her some yards across the main avenue. The silver creatures broke her fall, bodies shifting in the air until they managed to set her carefully on the ground.

"Isa!"

The girl grunted, hand reaching for her back—and almost as soon as she touched it, the pain disappeared. Ignoring that for now—monsters abounded, after all—she forced herself to her feet and was shocked to see that the avenue was clear. The shadows had been vanquished and the silver creatures were one by one winking out of sight. Only the two men remained. The redhead gripped the shoulder of her attacker, whose head was bowed. Did he call him Isa?

"Why did you attack me?" she called out to them weakly. She knew she should have started running already, given their new history, but she would still rather cast her lot with people than those other things. And if she sounded less panicked at nearly dying than she normally would, it was because she  _was_. She genuinely wanted to know the answer, even as she felt no real indignation at his attack despite her sudden fatigue. "Where are we?"

The redhead turned as she approached, slowly, and gave her a lopsided grin. "Hey, there. So you must be the one the Dusks won't stop chatting about."

"What do you mean?" she asked, eyes naturally following Isa's movements as he lifted his head. His eyes were normal now—an alluring gold. "Why did your eyes change... Isa?" She shouldn't have addressed him so forwardly, but the girl couldn't care less.

Her attacker jerked his head up with a glare. The redhead frowned at once, taking a quick step between them. "It's Saïx. And my name's Axel," he said, that same grin returning to his face as he pressed a finger to his temple. "Got it memorized?"

The girl stared at him. "Sure."

Axel's expression had a tendency to flicker, she noticed. For a beat, he gave her a peculiar look, lip curling and brow furrowing, but that immediately disappeared in favor of mirth. "So, new kid. What's your name?"

She tilted her head, trying to see past him to a recovering Saïx. He stood tall again, with golden eyes that no longer glowed. "What do you mean by  _new kid_? Is this place, filled with those shadows and silver things, your world?"

"The shadows are called Heartless," Saïx interrupted, in possibly the most disdainful tone she'd ever heard. Or remembered hearing. Her memory was shoddy. Axel stepped aside for him. "And you, as well as the simple silver creatures called Dusks, are a Nobody."

"I don't get it. How can I be the same as those things? Or are you just calling me names?" she realized belatedly.

"Man," Axel muttered, "she's the most boring one yet."

"Axel."

Suddenly, the men stood at attention. The girl sensed a power even greater than the kind possessed by these two—however possible that was—and her head spun. A wave of darkness appeared next to her. She took a step back, expecting a...Heartless? Or was it a Nobody, if Saïx was being serious? She expected to face a monster even more fearsome, but the thought of fear was odd, however logical considering her predicament for the past few days.

Only another dark-robed man emerged from the pulsating darkness, which dissipated into the cold night air as soon as he left it. The man was dark-skinned with silver hair, exuding both power and confidence that dwarfed that of the other two.

He eyed Axel calmly. "You should be more polite to our new friend."

"Friend?" she repeated, staring at him until he met her gaze. She knew it was disrespectful, but that thought inspired no guilt in her.

"Lord Xemnas," said Saïx, respectfully inclining his head. His companion did the same wordlessly.

"Lord Xemnas," she copied them, even if she had no idea what he was  _lord_ of. "Are you a king? A nobleman?"

"No," he replied, eyeing her carefully. She thought a look of recognition passed his austere features, but it could have been her imagination. "But I can give you purpose."

The girl blinked. "I already have a purpose."

"What...?" she heard Axel mutter. From the corner of her eye, she saw Saïx stiffen.

Lord Xemnas only smiled. It was an affected one. "And what is that?"

"I want to..." she took a deep breath, thinking hard before proceeding. It wasn't her  _desire_ , but it was something that she remembered wanting with all her heart. Something she had thought worth risking her life for. Something worth saying. "I want...to find Sora, my brother. And protect him. I should know what happened to him after..." The girl paused, eyes to the sky. "After the storm wracked our islands and I ended up here."

He peered at her, eyes narrowing for a moment, and then his cold smile returned. Unbeknownst to them, Xemnas recognized that vague look—the failure to grasp a memory. "You seek answers. We can give them to you, and more – should you join us."

"I'm considering it," she admitted, noting his tone of authority. It was one meant to comfort, and similar to the one she began to use on Sora as they grew up. "But one of your men just tried to kill me. Answers wouldn't mean anything if I suddenly died."

Saïx scoffed. "Someone who has no existence cannot die."

The girl ignored him, seeing no point in arguing since she clearly did exist. Instead, she glanced at her hands—the same ones that had conjured that barrier earlier. She was sure of it. She didn't remember having power like this, but she'd known the short burst of strength coupled with the sudden loss of energy just as the green light had protected her from Saïx's attack. Just like how she didn't remember ever having  _not_  felt before. No irritation, no guilt, no fear. She had wondered about it for days, but the hunger had distracted her. Now she could dwell on it without hindrance. She glanced at Xemnas. "Can you tell me why?"

"You feel nothing." Xemnas held a hand out to her. "Nothing is real. Join us, and you shall understand."

The girl doubted. She glanced at the other men – Saïx, looking resolute, and Axel, she thought but wasn't certain, looking uncomfortable – and sifted through her memories, all of which rang warning bells. But there was nothing for it. Xemnas had come from out of nowhere, and these two seemed to know their way around. Not to mention they'd vanquished those creatures.

Seeing how the past few days had gone, if she was to survive and find Sora, there was no other way but to agree. And he was right. The girl wanted answers. She felt nothing. She'd been on an empty stomach and an aching body that hurt her less sometimes when she begged it not to, holding her hands over the pain and feeling it dissipate—with that same burst and loss of energy as when she summoned the barrier—only for it to return hours later. He would help her understand. And maybe feed her, too. That was currently her foremost priority.

She accepted his hand. "All right."

He nodded. "Your name?"

"Everyone called me Tai."

"Tai," repeated Xemnas. As he spoke the word, her name appeared before her, letters glowing faintly in the dark. How was that possible? She reached out to touch them, but Saïx startled her as he grunted, "Don't," and her arm fell to her side. The letters rose higher into the air. They rearranged themselves around her until an X appeared, a gray letter different from the rest of the illuminated gold, and fit itself into the mix. Then, Xemnas murmured, "No longer."

"A new name?"

"A new you," he corrected. She gave no protest. Taking on the name wasn't as disturbing as she thought. Calling herself the first one had seemed worse.

He appeared to take her silence for confusion. "All will be explained soon," he said, hand resting firmly on her shoulder as he glanced at his lesser companions. "For now: welcome, Ixta. Our Number XIII."

* * *

Sitting on their uneven thrones, some languid and others stiff, the Organization's nine other members eyed her only with either indifference or curiosity. All white and gray, the Round Room had blinded her at first, but her introduction to them went fairly well, she thought, despite the complaints some of them had aired about her eyes taking unusually long to accustom to the light. It had gone quickly. Some words by Xemnas, a few questions regarding her power, and taunts in general about her usefulness to the group. That was all right. It wasn't like she could feel. And then they were dismissed.

Ixta watched as, one by one, her superiors—all twelve of them, since she was the last—disappeared through what they called Corridors of Darkness.

After feeding her, Saïx had given her a rundown of the most basic concepts of being a Nobody, as well as the goals of the Organization and their aim to use Heartless once the Keyblade Master appeared. He had also informed her of the likely fate of her world.

The latter was already a foregone conclusion for Ixta, who'd had several days to herself to mull over it all. But her lack of feeling—that definitely explained her first day. Why she remembered being that girl on the islands, but could feel nothing the way she remembered having done. Why, after hours of waiting, of inexplicably understanding that her family must have been destroyed in the storm, she couldn't bring herself to shed a single tear.

And then there was Sora. Tai's brother. His fate, Saïx insisted, was probably the same as the rest of her world's. But after all that had happened, after meeting Heartless and Nobodies and surviving for days without food, living desperately on the rain on the second day, that was one thing she couldn't believe. Ixta didn't know why.

"Hey. You coming?"

Next to her, a familiar redhead waited next to a Corridor of Darkness. Ixta nodded. "Axel, when will I be able to open one of my own?"

"When they figure out how useful you can be, I guess," he shrugged, and entered the Corridor with Ixta following suit. The two emerged into another section of the Castle—a generic white and gray hallway. It had nothing in the way of markers she could distinguish from any other part of her new home. "Why?" he asked as soon as she arrived. "Thinking of escaping?"

She shook her head. "The Organization's providing me with food, shelter, and enlightenment on my...non-existence. I'd be an idiot to try to leave."

"Boring," Axel muttered quickly under his breath. He turned to glance at their newest recruit with disappointment, only to find her staring at him blankly. "What?" he asked, tone quickly changing to mischief. "Trying to get my face memorized? Can't be that hard."

"Everyone's features are easy to memorize. At the very least, each of us can be distinguished by our hair color. Vexen, Larxene, and Luxord are different enough not to be confused for one another." She nodded as if to affirm her statement, ignoring Axel's new deadpan expression. She noticed that despite his initial interest, he had purposefully ignored her after Lord Xemnas's arrival. "But mostly I was staring because I wonder if your spiked hair had anything to do with your specialty being fire." She paused. "You look offended."

"You needn't dwell further on that, XIII." More than Saïx's voice or steady gait, it was the sense of his power that alerted Ixta to his presence along the corridor. "Focus on your own abilities, which we have yet to fully determine."

"Oh?" Ixta paused. "I get it. You mean my attribute. For example, yours is the Moon, while the Superior's is Nothingness. Xigbar's is Space, Xaldin's is wind—"

"No need for a full of recitation, Ixta," Saïx interrupted, lips pursed impatiently.

"I dunno," Axel grinned. "Teacher's pet seems right up your alley. Anyway, you're here. See ya." With a little two-finger salute, he began his walk further down the hallway.

"We're not finished, Axel," Saïx called without even a glance. "I'm assigning you to take Ixta to Vexen in order to determine her capabilities. The barrier she raised was only a small indication."

" _Me_? Pretty sure I'm better off on the field, and Demyx would be happy to babysit."

"No. Accompany Ixta. Picking up stray puppies... It still seems to be  _right up your alley_."

The redhead visibly clenched his jaw, but said nothing else. "All right, fine. Nothing on my plate today, anyway." He turned to Ixta. "You really don't mind being called a stray puppy?"

Ixta shrugged. "I can't feel anything about being called names. Otherwise, I think determining my attribute is a great idea."

"She's like another Zexion," Axel sighed.

"Observant and practical. We will reach our goals quickly if you remain this way, Ixta. And continue to follow orders, of course," said Saïx, ignoring Number VIII, though he hardly looked like he meant the words. "Now get going."

* * *

Vexen was the Organization's main 'researcher' as well as their resident doctor. He checked Ixta's vitals, making sure her body was intact, and prompted the girl with various questions she vaguely recognized from the Islands she had called home. Though Axel mentioned something about the man being a mad scientist, he seemed only ever methodical, his laboratory on the lower floors of the castle neat and properly arranged. Tables on one side, machines and contraptions on another and, in between them, his very own desk by the wall where he could sit in peace and think. It appealed to what Ixta remembered as her sense of requiring order, something she'd kept at their house, herself.

"All right," said Vexen, getting up from his seat after all the poking and prodding. "I have a few more questions, but we can complete them as we proceed to the next test."

Lying down on one of the reclining chairs, Axel jolted upward and groaned. "Finally. Some entertainment!"

At Ixta's blank, expectant stare, Vexen rolled his eyes. "That is  _enough_  whining, Axel. Fetch Lexaeus. We shall meet at the Hall of Empty Melodies."

The redhead smirked and threw his legs over the seat to stand up. "Yes, sir." Giving a mocking salute with his stiff posture, he disappeared into a Corridor.

"You should take care not to emulate such an obstructive personality," Vexen tutted to their newest member. "Axel would be a perfect soldier if not for his mouth."

"Why does he fake it? Saïx said we don't feel. It's certainly true for me."

"As it is for us all. Feigning emotion helps us remember our goal—and what is that?"

"To complete Kingdom Hearts and unite with it to gain our own."

"That is correct. And when we do, the emotions will no longer be strange, as the lack of them may seem to you now. I find it odd that it isn't natural to you, but we'll understand that in time," Vexen gave a hollow smile, picking up a clipboard and a pen. Motioning to the door, he said, "Follow me. It will be best to walk to our next test—to accustom you to the castle. Use the Corridors only when you've mastered our headquarters down to every detail."

"Then I'll be able to summon a Corridor myself?"

"We shall see," was his only reply, as they left the laboratory and climbed the castle. There was little to see—all that Ixta could tell was that whoever had built it liked its outer hallways with ramps instead of stairs. Only the inner rooms had them. The Round Room itself had no door—she thought of who might even want to enter that they had to keep it such a secret, but she didn't care enough to ask. "Now... You say you encountered no Heartless or Nobody in the course of nearly four days?"

Ixta shook her head. "I—sensed them coming, but I always left the area before they arrived. It seemed like they could sense me, too, because they appeared more quickly as days passed. I think I had to start running by the third day, changing buildings by the hour."

"And no visible powers manifested during such time? No elements, perhaps—ice, fire, lightning...? Did you stop time to stop them? Manipulated space in order to disappear from where you stood one moment and appear elsewhere the next? Created illusions to distract them...?"

"When Saïx attacked me," she answered, "I raised my arms and something materialized between his claymore and my body. Like a green shield."

"A shield?" Vexen quirked a brow. Suddenly, a shield of ice appeared on his free arm, frozen spikes jutting out from behind it. "Like this?"

"No. It disappeared once the attack threw me back."

"I see." He was jotting things down. "Ah—and sustenance. Did you find food in the city below? I was given to believe it was empty."

"No food," she answered. "...When I was hungry, I—touched my stomach." Ixta made the motion, but felt none of that old power come to her. "The pain left me, then."

"Regenerative abilities!" he decided. The exclamation was a surprise to the girl, but she said nothing even as he went on. "Healing... Yes. Good. Typical—your power manifests when your survival is at stake. It appears latent because you managed to evade the Heartless at every turn until Saïx and Axel found you... All right. Here we are."

The Hall of Empty Melodies was a large room within the castle containing two areas—a wide space on the level at which they entered, and another raised platform across the exit where one could view the venue below. Its roof was made of glass, and the night sky was visible outside. It was raining again, but the place was lit well enough so that she saw two waiting figures as she emerged from the dark hallway: Axel with Lexaeus, as ordered.

Broadly-built and the largest of the Organization, Number V was threatening to Ixta even without emotions. She sensed the brute force not only naturally, as she had with all others she'd encountered, but from his stance, too. Perpetually downturned, his mouth seemed set in stone. His posture was perfect, and he dwarfed even Vexen. If she hadn't seen him move during her initial introduction, she might have thought he was a statue.

Axel could tell this easily from where he stood—he and Lexaeus approached the two as they arrived, and all the new member could do was stare at the  _Taciturn Stalwart_. He was still trying not to scoff at the title. Then again, his wasn't that great, either—but everyone agreed that it matched his attitude, and no one really questioned The Superior's decisions, anyway. "Figure her out yet, Vexen?"

The man ignored Axel's flippancy regarding rank for now, and that was exactly how the fire-user knew he'd gotten results, however small. Vexen was narrow-minded that way. It was easy enough to figure out that most of his memories consisted of his thirst for knowledge and a ridiculous amount of pride. The second, he would always sacrifice for the first—provided it was important enough.

"Yes. Ixta, your glove, please."

The girl removed it and held it out to her superior. Vexen took her free arm instead.

"Watch," said the scientist, and summoned a small block of ice in his hand. It was pointed, like the spikes on his shield, and he swiped it across the girl's left palm.

Ixta yelped in pain, reaching with her other hand to prevent any more blood loss. That prompted a familiar tingling in her right palm and the burst of energy in the left one, right over the wound. When she released it in shock, the gash had closed. Scarred, yes, but dry. It was already crusted in preparation for new skin. "Vexen—"

"Healing," he interrupted her, eyes on the others. "That should be her attribute."

"So what weapon does she have for that?" Axel asked, arms crossed.

Vexen's lip curled. "I was getting to it." Ixta watched him, but he did nothing else besides change his tone of voice. "Nothing yet. But placing her in enough perceived danger should reveal it to us." Finally, he turned to their topic of conversation. "That is where Lexaeus comes in."

Ixta turned her gaze to the man, who watched her with the same stern expression as he did the rest of the world.  _Perceived danger_ , her mind echoed. "Is he going to pretend to try to hurt me?"

Axel chuckled at that. "Oh, no. He's going to hurt you—if you don't fight back. Make no mistake."

"You require it, in any case," the giant finally spoke. His voice was just as she imagined it—low and harsh, or maybe just right for the occasion. She couldn't tell. "Even with healing powers, if you can't defend yourself in any way, you are useless to the Organization."

"Way to set the tone," Axel whistled. "I guess I should explain, Ixta. Lexaeus is gonna knock the stuffing out of you if you don't fight back and summon that weapon. You know, Saïx—claymore, me—chakram, the list goes on.  _Ah_ " —he raised an index finger to silence her as she opened her mouth— "we know you don't know how to summon it. You don't know how to until you  _do_. Don't worry. It's like..." Now he scratched his head, trying to come up with the words. "Like learning how to fly. You know—take the leap and go, otherwise... _splat_. Got it memorized?"

"A poor explanation," Vexen muttered, "but do you understand, Ixta? It would be best to determine your weapon and the scope of your abilities as soon as possible. Your missions can begin then, and we will be all the closer to our goal."

"I understand," she nodded. "Fight, or...  _Splat_."

"Good. Lexaeus?"

"Prepare yourself," said the man. As he approached, Ixta wondered what stance she should take. She remembered play-fighting with Sora and his friends on the Islands, but she'd never come up against a real threat to her life before. She wondered what weapon Lexaeus wielded—right as he reached her, reared back his arm, and punched her in the jaw.

Ixta went flying across the room and slammed into a wall. She heard Vexen sigh. Axel groaned out an "Ouch."

"Get up," Lexaeus ordered. "Pay attention. You'll need faster reflexes than that."

She did so breathing heavily. "Okay," she nodded, this time planting her feet on the ground. "Again."

He didn't even approach her this time. Instead, an axe sword appeared in his hand, and he raised it to the air. A rumbling at her feet warned Ixta of the impending attack—but she hadn't expected earth to burst from the floor, throwing her into the air, and then slam backward against her.

Ixta went flying across the room. She would have slammed into the wall if she hadn't held her arms out—another barrier materialized against the wall, but it did little to help her. Anyone could tell that it was just as hard as the wall from the way she groaned upon hitting it.

Axel cringed audibly. Vexen tutted. "Even Demyx had made considerable progress at this point."

"Watch your environment," Lexaeus lectured. "Not just with your eyes, but with your other senses, too. Do you understand? Get up."

Trying to ignore how sore her back and her face felt, Ixta rose to her feet and wrinkled her nose. "Again."

Lexaeus headed for her, axe sword at the ready. Ixta prepared to create the barrier, but knew, instinctively, that creating the other barrier had sapped her strength. She knew then that she had a choice—to leap out of the way or to stand her ground, somehow. As soon as the thought came to her, she felt another power stirring in what felt to be the pit of her stomach. Almost like fear, but it was greater than that. Her survival instinct.

Number V cleaved his weapon down. Ixta held fast and felt the instinct surge through her body until it burst out of her fists—in an instant, she gripped a length of steel against the axe sword: a silver staff with a green, three-pronged tip, almost like a trident. The spectators gasped, but it could only bear the pressure of his weapon for so long.

"Don't just stand there!" Axel yelled.

Vexen appeared to agree. "Lexaeus will crush you without hesitation if you cannot retaliate, Ixta. Do something!"

She took this into consideration. She couldn't possibly disappear after reappearing as a Nobody so recently. But if her attribute was healing, how could she possibly defeat someone whose power was to control earth? Defense seemed all she could muster. If Lexaeus would only stay still for a moment—

As soon as the thought came to Ixta, she felt the pressure lift. The girl paused, relaxing a little, then turned to the others in confusion. Lexaeus stood there, still staring at her with those austere features, but he remained in that awkward position of one ready to strike, bearing down against his opponent.

"...Isn't that Luxord's ability?" Axel asked Vexen.

The scientist circled them, inspecting the man frozen in his spot. "No. It appears to be a simple paralysis spell..."

Ixta watched him write it down. "Now what?"

"Now  _duck_!" Axel called out.

Ixta would have asked why if she hadn't felt Lexaeus suddenly move again, recovering once she lost her focus and swinging around at her. He paused and regained his composure when Vexen raised a hand.

"There must be something more. Paralysis seems an odd spell to mix with her current pool of abilities. Try again, Lexaeus."

Lexaeus took one look at Ixta and ran toward her, much faster than his last attack. Ixta glanced at the staff in her hand, at the sword in his, and ran in the opposite direction.

Axel laughed at the sight. "That tactic's not going to last you very long! Try something else or you'll never see your brother for sure!"

She looked over her shoulder then and saw the man's unforgiving features. With no other recourse, she swung her staff blindly at Lexaeus and felt a burst of energy leave her in her desperation. Her superior stumbled at once, nearly falling, but caught himself. He held a hand over his open eyes and clenched his fist. "I've been blinded."

He stood still, as did those watching. Ixta walked forward, wondering if she might actually defeat this giant, and realized her mistake only when Lexaeus pointed it out to her. "Don't underestimate your opponent!" he growled, swinging his weapon at her. She leapt back, stumbling and falling on her bottom. "Don't be a fool, XIII. My other senses remain intact."

Lexaeus rushed at her again, her painful  _thud_ revealing her location. Ixta raised her staff to him, and Axel almost instantly burst into fake laughter. Her opponent's running had slowed—not paused because he was tired, but because his movement had literally slowed down. His eyes flashed at that, gaze settling on her. He'd regained his eyesight.

There was no winning this battle, Ixta realized then. Not as she was. He would regain his speed soon, and all she could do now was—

She must have sat there, trying not to breathe loudly and wondering why Lexaeus had stopped, when the Nobody realized she had managed to disappear. She waved a hand over her face and saw nothing, only her superiors looking around in shock.

Axel broke the silence, as was the custom. "Did she take a Corridor without us knowing, or...?"

"No, no..." Vexen glanced around, pen tapping his notes. "Ixta, are you still in the room? ...Fascinating. Her attribute is similar to that of Xigbar, Zexion, and Luxord. Not quite a tangible element as with ours, but a set of related abilities. Healing is only one of them. The others cause status conditions—blindness, slowness, petrification, as we've seen. And now she has vanished. 'Defense' might be ideal as well. She can sense presences and summon temporary shields. Some would count such status conditions as mainly a defensive tactic." When he appeared satisfied with his findings, he nodded at Lexaeus—now back to his usual speed. "Ixta, reveal yourself. Lexaeus will not attack."

She didn't think it was wise, but Number V had withdrawn his weapon, and she was feeling exhausted, at any rate. Even if she wanted to keep it up, she felt drained, and she appeared to them once more.

"Interesting," said the giant, offering her his hand. She accepted it, but noted that the statement was more obligatory than anything. Not like Axel, who seemed almost genuine whenever he made comments. Lexaeus yanked her to her feet with strength that would have torn her arm off if she'd had the energy to resist. "You'll need to learn basic fighting skills, and soon. Running away won't always gain you more time to save yourself. Keep this up and you'll disappear again in no time. Do you understand?"

Ixta nodded. She turned to Vexen then, hoping for clarification regarding her attribute, only to find herself a little woozy. It was more than just fatigue—it was her, back in the depths of the dark city, having touched her stomach too often as she ran from the Heartless, right before she collapsed. As if on cue, her knees buckled and she barely caught herself on her elbows.

"If magic is her primary focus, she'll have to train in that, too," Lexaeus remarked, sounding disappointed at the development. "She can't be weak on both fronts."

Vexen frowned, summoning a Corridor to his side. "Too true. Ixta, you must grow accustomed to the use of your powers. For now, you'll have to rest and recover. And it appears both tasks," he looked gleeful as he said this, "fall on you, Axel. Remember to give her a tour of the rest of the castle, too. Dismissed."

"What?" He'd been watching the entire exchange in relative silence, taking in all the information about the new girl. Of course they would choose now to spring this on him—so that before he could protest, Lexaeus and Vexen disappeared into the darkness. He wanted to blame them, but this was partly on Saïx, too. Knowing more about their newest member and how useful she could be didn't mean he had to  _babysit_  her.

"Why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs...?"

He frowned at his new charge, who watched him with that same expressionless gaze. "Stop sitting there with that dumb look on your face," he said. "Do you even care?"

"This is a neutral look," Ixta replied, still nearly sprawled. If he had emotions, it would irritate Axel that she didn't even move a muscle to look less undignified. Like she didn't even care how pathetic she looked at the moment. "If you meant the castle tour, then I should care. It's very informative, but you already know that. If you meant about rest and recovery, I also care. I think...I'm going to faint any moment now."

Wearing an odd expression, Axel bent down and scooped her up into his arms. All Ixta could think of was how he could do that given how skinny his coat made him look. "You're probably the most boring Nobody I've ever met. You're even worse than Xemnas."

"The Superior?" Ixta repeated, instinctively latching her arms around his neck. She did not resist the urge to let her head hang from the crook of his arm, unaware that she was making herself even heavier for him. "You make it sound terrible. He's helping us gain hearts." She paused, watching his face contort. "You look offended."

Axel snorted. "Look at it this way. Why should I fake it when you're not even trying?"

"Why fake it at all?" she replied. "We're both Nobodies who understand what we are. Saïx thinks we aren't Others who should be offended by small things like this. He says we should talk and get to the point without the hassle of manners."

Now she recognized his expression. Disgust. "Big wonder he didn't want to train you himself with how well you parrot him. I'm starting to think your Other didn't have any personality at all. Even Zexion and Vexen don't think that hard about this."

"That's not true," Ixta protested, no matter how heavy her eyelids felt. "My Other was..."

Ixta's pool of memories was shallow for now—natural, said Vexen, for one newly created. But most of her memories consisted of Sora. She helped him around the Islands, made sure he was steady. She studied hard so that she could earn enough munny to support him in case he ever failed himself for how silly he could be sometimes, though she did nothing if not believe in him. "She was effective," the Nobody nodded. "Effective and inquisitive. Being inquisitive made her effective."

"Effective doesn't count. Why would you think that counted?" Axel muttered. "But I guess inquisitive would work. Go with that one. Be  _inquisitive_. Got it memorized?"

Ixta hardly even noticed that Axel had already taken them through a Corridor and into the rooms hallway. "Why?" she asked, yawning.

Axel dumped her on the bed unceremoniously, rolling her there as soon as he was able. He peered down at her with all the patience he didn't have. "Might as well do something with your non-existence, right? When you're not doing missions and your body's tired, there's nothing wrong with a little  _chit chat_."

"...That makes sense, but—"

"Of course it does." He stared at her for another second, then gave a little wave. "Okay. Bye."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm done babysitting you for the day," he answered, turning back only to give her a once-over. "You'd better sleep. The others are going to put you through the wringer training you soon. I only get to watch if I'm done with my own missions."

Ixta didn't really understand what he was saying, but shrugged and asked no more. When she was finally alone in her room, she reflected on his words. At face value, there seemed no point in pretending to be like her Other and being 'inquisitive,' even if she was going to find Sora just like Tai wanted. But Vexen had said something curious—something about feigning remembering what emotions felt like and not being a stranger to them when they finally did regain their hearts. That made more sense than doing it for no reason. It fit with what the Superior had murmured to her, before passing her off to Saïx—

_"Do not search for your brother in the meantime. One with a heart could never accept a creature without it—such as yourself. He will only seek to destroy you."_

If she did find Sora as she was, without emotion, with only that  _dumb look_  on her face, he would try to destroy her. That was far from what her Other could have wanted. She would have to learn to 'fake it' in the off-chance that she would find her Other's brother before they could reach Kingdom Hearts—so she would take Axel's advice. Exploring her attribute took precedence, so first, she would train as Vexen instructed. But after that, as soon as she could use her power without collapsing, she would be as inquisitive as no Nobody ever was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! So, finally drafted into the Organization. We already said this, but don't worry, she won't take Roxas' number for good.
> 
> Lots of questions here, like why did Ixta want to find Sora even without really feeling for him, why is she so bad at faking emotions, and why is Axel such a dick? The answer to the first and second will be revealed. As for the third, he kind of is usually, despite his attitude toward Roxas when they first meet (discussed later). His usual response even to people he doesn't seem to 'like' is humor, just like how his Other was, but like he said here, we don't believe he'd care to fake it if the person he was with wasn't into bothering either (unless it's Saix, with whom he has a past connection). He'll tease around Vexen/Lexaeus/whoever because they'd react in some way to his faking, but otherwise, why bother? It's boring, and Ixta's not a child or a mystery/special case the way Roxas will be, so we don't think he'd be as kind to her.
> 
> More Organization members in the next chapter! Please be patient with new Ixta. We know the others will have to be. Haha! (You'll see.)
> 
> Let us know what you think so far! :)


	3. inquisitive ixta

Ixta's first week was a wreck.

Or, better put,  _she_  had been a wreck. Combat was completely alien to her. Getting attacked repeatedly brought back a memory of playfighting with Sora and his friends, but parrying wooden sticks was nothing compared to deflecting snipers, daggers, cards, scythes, axe swords, shields, and elemental attacks, and Ixta found herself lying on her backside or on her face more often than not. The only ones who did not partake in putting her through the wringer, as Axel had called it, were the Superior, Saïx, and Demyx.

The Superior and Saïx, because they were too preoccupied with handling castle affairs, and Axel, because he was the babysitter and he needed to be around, not fighting, to ensure she didn't die. For Demyx, it was because Larxene forcefully took his turn to have another go at Ixta. As the member in charge of overseeing her physical progress, Lexaeus allowed it. According to him, Numbers IX and XII were matched for speed and so there was no harm in it.

Ixta doubted that. Axel had, too, after having to carry her back to her room after two matches with the woman. Whatever balance was achieved between the Nymph and the Nocturne, agreed her reluctant babysitter, was overturned by the former's ferocity. She even seemed happy whenever she managed to wound Ixta—often—and irritated whenever the new member instinctively self-healed.

"Ugh! And don't expect to get along just because we're the only girls in the Organization. Got it?"

According to Axel, that was as congratulatory as Larxene would get. Still, for all her hard edges, it was the blonde's persistence that taught Ixta to approximate how much energy she expended healing every wound and burn that resulted from their spars. ("Beating," Axel corrected.)

Besides learning to defend herself, Ixta had also discovered some of her more 'offensive' attacks that week: to prevent her superiors from using their magical ability for a period of time and to put them to sleep. But what Vexen deemed her most important ability was that of creating a potent poison from nothing but her own magic. The spell worked in varying degrees—but it was there, a power other than healing that was her very own.

The disease was easily detectable, and it wore off within a minute so that Ixta had to stay within close proximity of her opponent in order to consistently poison them. But its apparent weakness, Vexen taught, was one she could exploit to her advantage. It was benign enough at first that even Lexaeus kept at his barrage of attacks until he fell to his knees in a coughing fit, suddenly pale with clear signs of deteriorating health. His body expelled it, but the more she cast the spell, the more accustomed it grew to the poison – not so as to grow immune to it, but so that it finally began to ignore it even as it ate away at him.

"It really is the luck of the draw. Even in non-existence," Luxord had laughed, watching Vexen demand that Ixta discover the cure for their Stalwart's suddenly deteriorating body. "Leading us on with a facade of good-natured healing ability...  _that_ 's your game, then! A toss-up."

If her Other had known what that meant, it didn't sink in with the Nobody. All she knew was that she was both the poison and the remedy—and that after the exercise, she had finally been given a title of her own.

 _The Killing Nostrum_.

* * *

Ixta's Other was efficient in existence, and this was clear enough even in her non-existence. No matter the work she had been put through the day before, she always woke in time to prepare for the arrival of a grumbling Axel, sent daily to take her to Vexen for training. He said he was being punished for insubordination, but Ixta doubted it. Vexen and Saïx seemed like perfectly level-headed Nobodies, though the former had a tendency to yell when 'frustrated' and the latter had a berserker mode that nearly killed her.

But Ixta knew that had little to do with her. So she rose early every morning time and made sure she was ready with a full stomach before Axel knocked on her door, five times first and two final raps after.

Today, however, it was three heavy  _bang_ s that announced the arrival of a superior—along with a whiny mumbling that sounded like a garbled, "Ixta...you awake?"

Sitting at the edge of her bed, feet and knees together, Ixta banished the staff she'd been inspecting and opened the door. There stood a young man with a few years to her, his light hair styled into a mullet and his perpetual slouch present as he leaned against the doorframe. She could tell it was him from the strength she could sense. Ixta couldn't sense specific signatures the way Zexion could, but she could tell how powerful they were or how much life they had left in them. Demyx wasn't weak like Larxene often insisted at all—only incredibly lazy.

"Hey," he yawned.

"Hello. What am I doing today?"

Though her training and subsequent evaluations would continue, Ixta was finally deemed ready to set out on missions. Vexen had given his seal of approval, declaring that her Poison spell as well as her other abilities were enough to keep her alive on the field.

"...And that's it," Demyx reported, stuffing the paper he'd read back into his pocket. Glancing over at the girl, he added, "Oh, and if you're wondering where Axel is, he was sent on some mission this morning."

Ixta met his gaze and nodded. "I wasn't."

"Ouch," remarked the musician, a small grin on his face. Though she had only known him for a short time, Ixta understood that Demyx's face was one of the more expressive ones in the Organization. He was somewhat special, to her, in that he faked his emotions very well. Unlike Vexen who explained his methods or ranted about Axel, Demyx needed only whine and grimace to show his reluctance or dislike for many things, or people, like Larxene. The first time they met, the mischief on his face reminded her of Sora. "Don't you miss him?" the man needled. "Haven't you two been together every day since you arrived? He found you, right? Saved you from X-f...uhh, Saïx?"

"Why would I miss him?" she asked, staring ahead at the empty hallway. The other members were forbidden to take her through Corridors to accustom her to the castle, with Axel being the exception if she collapsed after training. As she recalled the chakram-user, his words to her a week before came to mind.

 _Go with that one. Be inquisitive_.

"Wait," she said, pausing in her tracks. "Would missing him help me with our mission today?"

"Nah," Demyx sighed. He drew another piece of paper from his coat and unfolded it. "We're supposed to go to, uh, let's see..."

"The Land of Dragons," said an imperial voice behind them.

Demyx muttered something under his breath. Ixta turned and nodded. "Hi, Lexaeus."  _Be inquisitive_. "How are you this morning?"

The giant's eyebrows furrowed. "Well enough. Isn't it time you two left for your mission? I prescribed this to Saïx. The Heartless we've scouted in that world are prone to moving about—like Xigbar. It should prepare you for training with him tomorrow. If you are to show any improvement in keeping track of your enemies' whereabouts, it will be through this task."

"And what about Demyx?" she asked. "Is he my babysitter?"

"Pretty much," said Number IX.

"No," Lexaeus frowned. "You are to work on your own skill as well, Demyx. The time may come that you are called for battle instead of reconnaissance. This is enough stalling—Saïx is losing his patience."

"Won't be the only thing he's lost," Demyx sighed, but opened up a Corridor. "Okay, then. Let's  _goooo_."

* * *

Ixta had seen Heartless before—Vexen had shown her the Organization's documentation of them—but it was her first time coming up against them since Axel, Saïx, and the Dusks had banished them from that avenue on the night of her recruitment. They were wild, mindless things, unless provoked by a heart. That made it easy enough for a Nobody to get a pre-emptive strike, but once a Heartless recognized one as an enemy, so did the others. That was when training began.

The Land of Dragons, for whatever reason it was called that, had no dragons at all. It was a snow-capped mountain in the wilderness, the slope bright and almost blinding though the sun barely peeked through the multitude of clouds. The Heartless abounded in the caverns carved into the mountainside, but there were no people in sight. The two kept their hoods up if only to keep their ears warm.

"Shouldn't the Heartless be drawn to villages of people?" Ixta asked her companion. Demyx languidly stretched next to her. "Why are they settling near these abandoned caves?"

"Too many of them already," Demyx yawned. For someone who claimed to dislike fighting, he wasn't out of breath at all from their last skirmish.

"I can sense that," she nodded. "Even from far away. Why is that?"

Demyx shrugged, tugging down his hood for a second. "This world'll be gone soon. You know..." he waved his hands as if that would explain everything, "overrun with darkness?"

"And this is a precursor," Ixta realized. "Okay. So—"

"Hey, you know Xiggy's a pretty wicked opponent, right?"

Ixta didn't mind the subject change. "Yes. Why?"

"I was thinking—being your elder and all, I have a lot more combat experience than you think. Sometimes reconnaissance doesn't go so great. But you have training with Xigbar tomorrow and you're way behind on that experience. So why don't I let you handle the rest of the Heartless from here on out?"

Ixta watched his face contort into a disarming smile. She knew there was something about it that should have unnerved her, but she couldn't tell which. Her memories failed her whenever it came to remembering things she couldn't quite connect with Sora. Or maybe not—she vaguely remembered him trying to get away from doing his chores...

"Are you lying to me?"

"What? No!" Demyx looked offended at that. "Unlike you, who only remembers, uh...being weird," he huffed, " _I_ remember being nice. This is me being nice! Do you want Xigbar to wipe the floor with you again tomorrow?"

Xigbar's projectiles were always difficult to pull out. "No."

"See? I'm nice. So, time to get this over with, right? That horde should be enough to complete Lexaeus's silly mission." Demyx looked over her head and took a step back. His sitar appeared in his hand as he lifted a free arm. "Yoohoo! Heartless! Over here!" He gave his sitar a great strum, sending a jet of water streaming at the creatures floating in the air not far from them.

Ixta whirled at the swarm of Rapid Thruster Heartless headed their way. "Demyx, wait—"

When she looked back, he had already run behind a boulder some ways from the clearing. The Heartless squealed, like metal scraping against metal, rushing at her with blank yellow eyes. Their beaks tore at her, picking at her coat as though fighting for their share of meat. It was starting to get painful. A Nobody couldn't feel fear, but the body's survival instinct never diminished.

Suddenly, in the haze of desperation to bat them away, Ixta understood what Lexaeus meant. Xigbar, always flitting about, was a difficult man to pin down. He might as well have been everywhere—just like these heartless. If she couldn't locate a specific target, as with these things, she would have to expand her area of attack.

Summoning her staff, she swung the length of it across her enemies, prompting them to fly back. As soon as she was free of most of them, she unhooded herself and let out the breath she was holding back—a murky green miasma that diffused into the air immediately surrounding them.

* * *

Not long after that, Demyx and Ixta returned to the castle. The former was coughing heavily but intact. The latter had holes in her coat and her hair was utterly disheveled, but she bore the same composure as always, if not a little pale from fatigue. Sitting alone at the Grey Area arranging mission logs, Saïx met them with a quirked brow.

"Report."

Demyx tried to speak, but he was much too busy taking deep breaths with a hand to his mouth. When Number VII's golden eyes settled on her instead, Ixta nodded. "We completed our mission to train against swarms of flying Heartless in the Land of Dragons, a world about to be overrun by darkness. Number IX was nice enough to let me finish off the last swarm."

Speaking looked to be a task for the tired girl at the moment. But she continued, hardly noticing Demyx coughing out her name in an attempt to stop her. "In my desire to survive, I discovered a new attack. I think I'll call it Bad Breath. It inflicts Slow, Blind, and Sleep upon a number of opponents. Saïx, do you know what makes it so that Demyx remembers how to be nice in general, but I can only recover memories of my brother? What do  _you_  remember from your past life?"

At this point, Saïx was no longer paying her any attention. His stony gaze was fixed on Demyx. "You were  _nice_ enough to allow her to take on the last swarm alone, Demyx?"

"U-Uh...no, it was more like..."

"We have been waiting to find a thirteenth member for quite some time. You were to supervise her and participate in the battle for your own training as well."

"No," Ixta interjected. She remembered taking the blame for Sora many times. She wasn't inclined to do the same for Demyx, but in any case, Vexen said it was necessary to be upfront about all things on the battlefield so that any and all wounds or developments could be addressed. "Demyx supervised from behind the boulder where he was waiting for me to finish the Bad Breath spell. And the reason he's coughing is that I couldn't control the miasma and it reached him. If I have no more missions, I'll focus on learning to contain the effects of the spell in the target area."

"Go to Vexen for your check-up and complete a written report to submit to me," Saïx replied, overlooking the rest of her statement.

"Isn't this information relevant, Saïx? Why are you dismissing me?"

"Ixta," Saïx frowned. "Do not make me repeat myself."

Recalling his Berserker mode, Ixta obeyed.

"Now," the man turned to Demyx, "since only XIII appears to have benefited from learning from the mission, you may undertake another one. I suggest..."

Heading out of the Grey Area, Ixta glanced back at her two superiors. Demyx was nodding reluctantly at Saïx's instructions, but his eyes were on her—and he was glaring.

Had she done something wrong?

* * *

As expected, Xigbar was an extremely difficult fight—all her superiors were, but with Number II, it wasn't for how painful his attacks were, but for how tiresome it was to keep track of him. He blinked in and out of the battlefield, which made it seem like he was shooting at her from all directions. The week previous, he'd decimated her just by keeping her turning in circles and firing with impunity as soon as she fell, dizzy and ready to vomit breakfast, only to pass out from the pain of a single shot of his sniper rifle.

Thanks to Lexaeus's mission, however, today's battle went a little differently. Ixta had no need to keep looking around for her opponent—she could sense him, even from behind, and resorted to simply dodging away from her current spot as he shot at her. Thanks to her Bad Breath, too, she hadn't needed to spot him or stay close to him simply to cast the spell.

Of course, that didn't stop the man from ultimately winning. Lexaeus had told her that morning not to expect much—Larxene insisted it was simply that she was weak, but the Stalwart brushed her off, arguing that Ixta was only a week and a half old compared to the rest of the Organization. As long as she learned from her constant battles, he said, it was impossible for her not to gain skill. For some reason, she was inclined to believe the giant.

"Ha!"

Ixta slid across the Hall of Empty Melodies, the remnants of Xigbar's sniper round burning into her coat. Sapped of energy earlier spent on keeping him stunned enough with her Bad Breath spell to land a few hits, the brunette lay her head on the ground and breathed heavily.

Appearing upside down, ponytail swinging over Ixta's face, Number II chuckled. "Not bad, little bait. You're getting a lot quicker! Had to use more rounds on you than I did the first time. Tell Lexaeus you're still an easy target, but I'm givin' you a B for that Bad Breath Improvement. Heh."

That was another thing that set Xigbar apart from the others. He was oddly encouraging in battle—every time she managed to land a hit, he'd laugh.  _Clever little sneak!_  Axel said it was sarcasm, and Ixta could hear it sometimes, she guessed, but he was still different in that regard.

She nodded, sitting up. Her body ached from the exercise and the lack of power to heal herself, but she was almost used to it. "Why did you call me little bait just now?"

With a wink, Xigbar disappeared—and then reappeared next to her. He made no motion to help her stand. "Like it? No?"

"Neither. I was just being inquisitive." She struggled to get to her feet. That she did after such a battle was a feat in itself. Her short hair was a frazzled mess, but Ixta did nothing to comb it down. "Xigbar, do you mind my being inquisitive?"

Xigbar quirked a brow. "All right, bait. I'll bite." He laughed at his own little joke. "What are you talking about?"

"Yesterday, Demyx and I reported back to Saïx about our mission. I was being inquisitive with Saïx, but he dismissed me and ordered me to report to Vexen. Then, Demyx glared at me as I left. I reflected on it and thought that maybe the other members aren't receptive of my being inquisitive. Which is odd, because Axel told me it would help me fit in with the others better. I assume he wants me to do this to help us achieve our mission that much faster. So I decided to ask—"

"Uh-huh. So that's what Demyx's been a wet blanket about," he laughed, shaking his head. "He didn't even pretend to laugh at  _that_  joke, you know. Ha! But you know what's weirder than you in general and Axel handing out advice?"

Ixta shook her head.

Xigbar rolled his visible eye. "You asking if it's okay to be inquisitive. Don't ask. Just  _shoot_. Got it?"

"So...just ask," she clarified.

Weapons dissipating into the air, the sniper crossed his arms. "Shoot."

"All right. I've been wondering since I discovered your attribute and saw you in battle firsthand. You must be our swiftest member, discounting whenever I use my own time-related spells and Luxord applying his attribute. So I wanted to ask: how did you ever come to have an eye patch and a scar? Did your Space attribute fail you?"

Xigbar stared at her, apparently speechless—until he gave a  _Ha!_  that resounded in the Hall, and then he burst into laughter.

Ixta was confused.

And then Xigbar conjured his sniper, aiming the barrel directly between her eyes. "Get out of my sight."

* * *

Ixta was due for a check-up after her solo reconnaissance mission the following day. Vexen sat in his neat laboratory as always, looking over Ixta's vitals and reading her report before she submitted it to Saïx. Their Chilly Academic was apparently the best at undercover operations, so it was his approval she was instructed to seek.

"Well-written and thorough," the scientist nodded, setting the paper down on his desk. "You seem to need no tutoring in the art. I look forward to your work in the Organization, child. You appear to be one of the very few with the mind for it—you and Zexion. If Xemnas sees it fit, you can aid me in my research. As for your physical condition, I believe we have discovered the general scope of your abilities. Continue with your solo missions and training. You won't need any more check-ups—you need only report if you discover any new spells. Otherwise, do not bother me unless it is of the utmost importance—I'm very busy with my own experiments. Dismissed."

Ixta stood accordingly, picking up her report. She caught a glimpse of blueprints for what appeared to be a machine, but it was out of her depth. "Vexen?"

The scientist followed her gaze and rearranged his desk, covering the papers with Ixta's file. "What is it?"

"What experiments?" she asked. "Axel said you were a mad scientist, but—"

"He said  _what_?"

Ixta only nodded. "But I've never seen you come up with anything in the week and a half that I've been here. When will you show us your projects? Have your experiments brought us to where we are in any way? how much do you think we truly know about the nature of Nobodies if we can't determine our attributes without a real standard?"

For a moment, Vexen wore that same look Xigbar did—odd, considering their feigned personalities were worlds different—as if trying to understand her meaning. And then he growled, lip curled, brows furrowing as he swung his arm almost violently to point to the door. "Get out."

"Do you mean..."

"Get out of my laboratory!"

* * *

Two mornings later, Ixta found her way to the Grey Area holding a note Saïx had left at her door. Their routine was that he saw her before and after missions to brief and debrief, so that he thought he needed to leave a note was questionable. He was waiting on one of the couches, back turned to her, a pile of papers on the desk before him as always. Across him, past the window, was a small beam of light. Like a waning moon, the memory rushed to her, only it had a pointed edge and would have been absolutely invisible to the eye if the night sky weren't so dark against it.

"Ixta. Were you reading over my shoulder?"

Ixta glanced down. Saïx brooked no explanation as he said, "Sit."

She obeyed, and remembered how she liked sitting on the couch on their islands. Velvet soft, she recalled, but nothing else. "Is something the matter, Saïx? Did you find my reconnaissance report unsatisfactory?"

"No. But I have received reports of you being insufferable."

"...How so?" Ixta knew what it meant, but her limited memories showed her only enough to make Sora aggravating; not insufferable. And that was usually when he accepted Riku's silly challenges or believed him more than he did her.

"According to one— _some_  of your superiors, you..." The man cleared his throat as though it were beneath him to relay the statement. "'She doesn't know when to shut up.' They say it is getting in the way of our goals. Is this true?"

"I don't believe so..." Ixta looked back on the past few days and shrugged. "I haven't changed anything in my routine since I arrived, except that Axel went on a mission the other day and no longer babysits me, and that I received Vexen's approval for solo missions unless my superiors believe otherwise. And no more check-ups."

"Hmm. Freed of Axel's influence? That can't be a negative. Think harder."

"Axel did tell me to be inquisitive on my first day—to fit in better with the Organization. My Other was inquisitive. so my goal is to be more like her."

Saïx blinked at that. "...Inquisitive? That is no emotion. What else did Axel tell you?"

"That being effective didn't count. So he chose inquisitive."

He sighed. "So your memory recall has been very poor."

"I disagree. I remember many things about my brother."

"But your attempts to feign having a heart are terrible. I shall be the judge. Go on—" he sat back, eyeing her critically. "Pretend to me."

Ixta nodded, taking in all of Saïx's features. Her Other always asked what was different about Sora and his friends so that she could find out what was wrong. That way, she would how to fix them. That involved understanding what brought about the wounds, but that was assuming they were human. With Saïx, though—she wasn't even certain she could make that assumption.

So she asked, "Did you have pointy ears and the scar before your heart was taken, Saïx? More importantly, were you even human?"

Saïx's mouth, perpetually set in a line, slowly fell into a frown—the way it did whenever he spoke with Demyx. "What did you say?"

"I've never seen a human with features like yours," explained Ixta. "The scar, maybe, but what a coincidence that it turned out to be shaped like an X, the same thing added to each member's name upon joining the Organization. Don't you think so? I wonder if—"

Any further thoughts were interrupted by another robed man nearly flying out of his Corridor as he leapt into the Grey Area. Lowering his hood, he grabbed their newest member from her seat and pushed her to the other end of the couch. "Whoa, whoa! Ixta, what do you think you're doing?"

"Axel," came Saïx's accusatory hiss.

"Hi, Axel," said Ixta, in the same monotonous tone she greeted all her superiors. "How are you today?"

Axel opened his mouth with an odd grimace, but Saïx beat him to it. "Number XIII has gotten out of control in your absence. You know inquisitiveness is not an emotion. Are your teaching skills so nonexistent?"

The redhead replied with his usual lopsided grin. "Ah, funny you should say it like that... But why do you even want her to change, Saïx? I thought you'd like someone not burdened with fake emotions for once."

VII pulled him aside, murmuring sternly as he eyed Ixta with obvious disdain. "Now isn't the time for levity, Lea. Teach her. And properly, this time. One who cannot feign a heart cannot expect to lure those who possess them."

Axel blinked. "A lure? For  _who_?"

If Saïx knew, he didn't care to tell Axel. Ixta watched him storm away with the same curiosity that might have made her Other proud. "What—"

"—exactly did you  _do_  while I was gone to get Saïx's panties in a twist, huh?"

"I was being inquisitive. Like you told me to be."

Elbows against the sofa's backrest, Axel gaped at her. "That was almost two weeks ago. You had to start when I left?"

"I focused on discovering my abilities first," said Ixta. "And then I followed your advice. Which Xigbar said was odd. What I don't understand is why he and Vexen wanted me to leave after asking them questions. Or why Demyx glared at me."

"I don't even want to know," Axel muttered, hanging his head low. "What did you say, Ixta?"

"I asked why Demyx remembered being nice enough in general to let me complete our mission alone while I only recover memories of my brother, and why Xigbar had a scar and an eye patch, and what exactly, if you called him a mad scientist, kind of progress Vexen has made with his experiments, and—"

Axel interrupted with a loud groan. "Man, oh, man... You can't just ask the others whatever gets into your head! Do you  _want_ to get turned into a Dusk? And...don't go around telling people what I said about them! Didn't your Other understand the concept of  _secrets_?"

"That has nothing do with secrets," Ixta insisted. "And my questions weren't random. They were all purposeful—every fact I mentioned was relevant to understanding our nature. And our Organization's progress."

Axel watched her blankly. At that point, Ixta was prepared to get told to get out, however little she understood why—but the man only sighed. "You don't even know, do you? This isn't about 'making friends' in the Organization. It's about survival. I don't care that you don't care about the other members. That's part of being a Nobody. But you gotta understand that if you cause too much trouble, you'll get turned into a Dusk—and then it's bye-bye Sora for good."

Ixta looked up at that, head tilting in curiosity. "Why are you counselling me? I thought you didn't care."

"I don't," Axel shrugged. "But Saïx is already clearing missions from everyone else's plate to dump on you, and we'd all hate to pick up the slack again if you were  _demoted_."

"I understand." That made much more sense than the possibility of her superior giving her any thought whatsoever. And he was right. Not only would Sora try to destroy her if she failed to pretend—she might never even meet him if she were punished into a Dusk. She had to try harder, and that would start now.

Ixta remembered the 'ha ha' sound the other members like Larxene and Demyx made when showing mirth. Sora was usually happy that way, too. So, taking a deep breath, she feigned bursting into laughter. "Ha ha ha! Ha! Ha!"

That accomplished, she turned to her new mentor. "How was that for starters?"

Axel was staring at her with a horrified expression. He seemed to have taken a step back during her show. When she only watched him blankly, asking what she'd done wrong, he scratched the back of his head in surrender. Turning toward the kitchen area, he beckoned to her.

"We've got a long way to go..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!
> 
> This is what we meant about being patient with Ixta. We know it's odd that her memory recall is total shit, but that's sort of central to her character. You'll see! In the next chapter, actually. It's a good thing she has someone looking out for her! Or for himself, really. For now. Also, in case you noticed, Ixta's "Bad Breath" attack actually comes from a Final Fantasy Malboro. We have a love/hate relationship with that monster, so we thought it perfect for Ixta! What with her healing/status condition attribute and all. Her 'special' attacks would be some "- Breath" attack taken from the Malboro, too, or a very big heal - either would take a chunk of her strength/life if she put too much into it. Of course, her Bad Breath is pretty nerfed compared to those adorable jerk Malboros, but we hope you see the juxtaposition.
> 
> The next chapters should be longer - we thought it appropriate to cut it here because it would be too long otherwise.


	4. connected

_"It doesn't matter what your motives are. Stop with the invasive questions, all right? ...Compliments! People like compliments. Didn't your Other ever get one of those? Or know how to say 'please' and 'thank you?' Honey and vinegar, Ixta. Man, giving the Dusks instructions is easier than this..."_

Zexion was a skilled magic-user, particularly talented in the art of illusions. The only spell Ixta shared with him was Vanish, but his ability to create tangible copies of himself amazed her. If she had the ability to clone herself (in a sense, as he rejected such terminology), her missions would be finished much faster. But Zexion was content with his own power and kept at simple illusory magic unless heavily threatened, which was never the case throughout his mission with Ixta.

It wasn't so much  _his_ mission as it was a simple favor to Lexaeus, who maintained that Ixta's pool of magical energy was hardly sufficient for one who so heavily relied on it, and that she was like as not to die than manage to take up arms for their Organization. So Zexion took her down to the Dark City to defeat as many Shadows with her poison without running out of power, and refused to return to the castle until he'd seen a fair amount of progress.

It was almost dinnertime when Ixta made it back to the Grey Area, much more fatigued than earlier that morning and ready to vomit the way she had in her first fight with Xaldin. Zexion walked in after her, slightly out of breath, but looked considerably pleased. At least, she thought he did. She couldn't quite see past his hair.

"You've improved, Ixta," he remarked, dusting off his coat. "Your work ethic is commendable. I've observed that your appetite matches nearly that of Lexaeus, so you may go and have your meal—unless you have any questions?"

Ixta had many—Zexion was one of the more curious members of the Organization, if only for how reserved he was, and how little she truly saw of him. This was only their third meeting since her introduction and their battle the week before. What was his age? She couldn't tell with his hair, and he was only slightly taller than her; Ixta stood between him and Larxene in terms of height. How many years had he spent as a Nobody? How did he experiment with his magic, given the broad nature of his power compared to the others?

But she remembered her talk with Axel. Rules 1 and 2: No invasive questions, and Only compliments. If not, then the other rules applied. She guessed it was as good a time as any to pay Zexion a compliment.

But first, a non-invasive question. "I do. Zexion, when do you think I can learn to use a Corridor of Darkness?"

The Schemer tilted his head. "Axel hasn't taught you? That is his responsibility."

"He said it was when they deemed me worthy."

"They?"

Ixta shrugged. "The other members, maybe. Or the Superior."

"No, no. It needs no ceremony. Axel must simply be emulating Demyx's sloth in misinforming you," Zexion murmured. "Nevertheless, I am a founding member of this Organization. Vexen has given his approval, and Lexaeus has effectively granted me his choice. You are capable, I think, of opening a Corridor without succumbing. Are you ready?"

"Now?" asked Ixta. "I want to learn, but my power is depleted."

Zexion seemed to smirk beneath his bangs. Ixta could never be certain. "It isn't a measure of your energy but a measure of your  _being_. Come."

He took a seat on one of the couches and bade his companion sit across him. "Since this is your first time, it's better that you close your eyes. Go on. Hands on your lap, and sit up straight."

Ixta did so, taking a deep breath as she did. "I'm ready."

"I can see that. Now—there really is no easy way of explaining the process. Just as it was with summoning your weapon, it's simply a matter of  _knowing_  how. But I can guide you through it. You know what you are, do you not?"

She was tempted to open an eye and answer, but she kept both squeezed shut. "A Nobody."

"Yes. Cast aside by both light and darkness. Vexen has informed me that your memory recall is subpar. Perhaps this is best for now—the illusion of emotion will only distract you. Now, recognizing this, simply reach into the deepest recesses of what you are. When you have done so, nod."

Ixta didn't know it, but her brows furrowed in confusion. She wasn't certain what it was he wanted from her. She was a Nobody, just as he said. What more was there to it?

But as the silence stretched on in the Grey Area and it seemed almost as if Zexion had deserted her, Ixta found her mind pondering her two-week existence so far. Sora circumscribed all her thoughts and memories since her recruitment, it was true, especially since Xemnas promised that she would find him. But as she tried to recall past that, to the days she spent in the Dark City below, she remembered something more than Sora. Something about her self—or lack of it.

It was that moment, waking up in the dark and remembering her promise to find him and protect him—only to realize that she must have failed. That Sora was in another world, forever lost to her, or that the storm had swallowed him whole somehow. She had known then that it was proper to cry; that she should have been crying with all her heart, only she hadn't.

Because she had no heart. Even if she hadn't known the concept of a Nobody then, she'd understood it somehow. Because she had known that emptiness, felt it encompass her entire being until she realized that attempting to shed tears was utterly futile.

Ixta nodded.

"Good," said Zexion, as though returning to her as she did to him. "And what have you found?"

"...Nothing."

"Yes. And when you find nothing, neither Light nor Darkness—you realize that nothing bars you from moving where you please. That even the Darkness cannot reject you."

"It can't...?"

"No. Under the protection of your coat, you are free to summon a Corridor as you will without fear of reprisal from the darkness. Utilize its presence within all worlds with impunity. Summon a Corridor, Ixta."

Face relaxing, she knew now what he meant.  _A measure of one's being_. In tapping into her nothingness, she could take whatever she wanted—even passage through the Darkness. In a wave of what was raw, almost painful, power, Ixta felt the Corridor ripple to life next to her.

When she opened her eyes, it beckoned. She wondered where it led.

"Now banish it," Zexion urged. "It should be as simple as closing a door. Go on."

Ixta held her palm to it as she saw so many of the others do—and Zexion was right. She willed it to dissipate, and it fell away as nothing.

She turned to her companion. "Thank you, Zexion. You..."  _Compliments_. "You are a very effective teacher and an excellent fighter—especially despite your long bangs and short stature compared to my other superiors."

Zexion had almost smiled, she noticed. Almost. Just a twitch of the mouth. Instead, he looked unhappy—much like Vexen.

"I  _beg_  your pardon?"

* * *

_"Unless they bring it up themselves, they don't want to talk about it. And if they do, only talk about it in a way makes them feel good about themselves, unless you can pretend to be close enough to tease them about it. Or you just don't care that you aren't. Don't do either, though. You can't pull it off."_

_"I'm confused."_

_A sigh. "Specifics, then. Xigbar's eye patch? Completely off-limits. Let Vexen talk about all the experiments he wants—you're better off with him thinking you're under his thumb. And Saïx's scars? ...You wanna keep your pretty face, right?"_

_"My Other would. What about the Superior?"_

_"What about—" Axel's eyes looked like they would pop out. "You haven't...talked to Xemnas since you started this_ inquisitive _thing, have you?"_

_"No. I never see Lord Xemnas around the castle."_

_The redhead breathed, patting his chest. "Sheesh. If I had one, I'd have had a heart attack right then. Or just gotten zapped straight into a Dusk. If you want Xemnas to like you—stay away from him. Got it memorized? It's for your own good."_

Though they were the tallest among the Organization, Lexaeus and Xaldin were two entirely different creatures.

It should have been easy enough to understand from their titles. Lexaeus was a great statue, an immovable object, while Xaldin was a hurricane, an unstoppable force, barraging his opponents so quickly that there was hardly any time to react. It was the same for him, whether in battle or in his admonitions—and Ixta had quickly discovered that he could find some weakness to lecture her about, no matter the activity. He was especially fond of discussing the inherent weakness of her attribute and the heart.

What emotion had he retained to give him that personality? Ixta had so many questions for him. About his sideburns, the way his hair was styled—even more pleasing to the eye than Demyx's—she thought there might be a science to how Nobodies looked in comparison to their Others. If there were any permanent changes, she wanted to know the reason. There was also the extent of his attribute, and his Lindworm lances, but she knew better than to ask.

In any case, she had to focus on the mission he gave her—to travel to worlds still standing and to lure the Heartless there to people's hearts. And then, when the Keyblade Master appeared, they would vanquish the Heartless and release those hearts into Kingdom Hearts. It had been easy enough. The Heartless could find those with hearts on their own, but according to Xaldin, many had a tendency to 'tarry about.' To expedite the process, all she had to do was threaten their existence with a little attack and lead them to the people, to whom their focus would shift.

It was an easy enough task. Ixta's ability to run had improved over the past two weeks. Hiding behind one of the newly abandoned houses, she watched the Heartless disappear through their own small Corridors, leaving their former town empty. When she was finished ensuring there was no Other left, she returned to her superior. He had remained at a safe vantage point, joined and monitoring her only because he didn't believe she was prepared for solo missions.

Xaldin answered her expectant look with a light snort. "Don't slack off simply because you're adequate. Daily effort is the only path to strength. Do you understand? Never allow yourself to get distracted by any foolish venture of the heart—or the illusion of one."

Ixta's eyes seemed to light up at that. "What kind of foolish venture?"

"Love, for example," Xaldin spat, predictably. Considering their dislike of each other, Larxene and Demyx mimicked his apparent 'anger' near perfectly. "Nothing should hold sway over your will—save, of course, the purposes of the Organization. More than hatred or any outside force—love is what ultimately destroys. Remember it well, even if we do regain our hearts."

The Nobody watched him rant. Was this open to discussion since he brought it up? "Xaldin, I can see that you're angry about hearts. I wonder if it's residue from your Other's memories, but whatever it is..." she paused, failing to register Xaldin's bewildered expression. She wasn't sure how to go on, but she had to try. This was something she only ever did for Sora, from what she could remember.

Ixta placed a hand on his arm. "...I'm always here for you."

Xaldin grunted and tore his arm from hers. "Are you a fool? This fake sentimentality will bring ruin to the Organization!"

That was what she'd thought initially, but everyone seemed to think otherwise. "Axel and Saïx said that if I practiced, I could fake it well enough with my brother when the time came to bring him into the fold."

Xaldin audibly growled under his breath. "I am  _practice_ , then."

"Yes. But your reaction lacks positivity...so I'm not sure I'm doing it right. Please feel free to correct me."

Xaldin's face contorted further, if that were possible. "You certainly need practice if you believe I merely  _lack positivity_. Off with you!" he bellowed.

Ixta was confused, but she recognized an angry tone when she heard it. With speed that would rival that of her betters, she called open a Corridor—suddenly much easier to summon—and put Zexion's lesson to good use.

A dull, endless hallway all too familiar awaited her. The girl swiftly banished the Corridor as soon as she emerged from it—only to run into a wall.

Or what she'd thought was a wall as she rubbed her nose, recovering from the collision. While she would be unable to recognize members if they shared the same level of power, Ixta was fortunate in that most of her superiors varied in energy levels. The only presence she felt along the hallway possessed such great strength that she knew him at once: Lexaeus. He was so tall that he loomed, and it reminded Ixta of the gargoyles she saw in one of the Organization's files on the various worlds. Those belonged in castles, too.

"Hi, Lexaeus," she greeted. Craning her neck to look at him from such an angle, she realized just how square his jaw was. Ixta couldn't help but stare as she remembered Xaldin and his response to her question. Maybe Lexaeus would know. He seemed patient, though frank, and they were both founding members. He would know the Lancer better than Axel. "I have a question, if—"

Brows lifting in recognition, he seemed to have expected it. That encouraged Ixta—until he raised a finger and put it to her mouth. "Don't," he decided for them both, and walked past.

Ixta frowned. Had Xaldin found him first and told him of Ixta's attempts to make him feel good about himself? Was that really so unacceptable? Sora always appreciated them from her Other. She would have to ask Axel. Shrugging, she glanced at the door she'd arrived next to. The plaque read Number VIII.

Perfect.

* * *

Unfortunately for Ixta, Axel hadn't been in his room when she came knocking. He was busy getting chewed out in some other hallway in the great, empty castle, courtesy of Saïx.

That new kid was really starting to be a problem. Whatever amusement he pretended to get from the other members pretending to be harassed by her questions and comments wasn't worth getting blamed for her inability to adapt. The thought of Vexen giving him the  _cold_ shoulder was usually enough to get him fake-chuckling, but not when the reason was Ixta's blabbing.

He didn't even know why XIII was sent to  _him_. Sure, it was to keep an eye on her development, but Saïx could have done that just fine with Luxord! The man was largely patient, kept to himself and had no ties to the founders, and was always spouting some dumb luck-related saying—he was the least likely to have any ulterior motive.

And if not X, it was obvious enough to everyone that she'd stick around with Lexaeus, given the choice—or maybe Vexen. She asked too many questions and made unnecessary observations too often not to have been some kind of scientist before. He wouldn't deny that he was a little curious about her—all she talked about when she wasn't being a pain was how she would find her Other's brother, and what kind of kid was that  _Sora_  if he was the entire focus of XIII's non-being?—but he'd had just about enough. Axel would rather be saddled with extra missions than have to spend another second with a zombie.

"...her abilities will only result in the other members relying on her support, in my opinion. She provides us with no benefit if she can't feign emotion."

Scratching the back of his head, Axel returned to paying attention to Saïx's lecture. He'd caught enough of the last sentence to know what Saïx was saying—though at this point, all his complaints about Ixta were a rehash of every discussion they'd had about her. Axel already knew the problem. He just didn't understand why it had to be solved.

"Why do we need her to be useful? We're bound to find another Nobody somewhere, right? Cut her loose if she's so useless."

Saïx glared at him. He wasn't sure when, but he'd gotten used to that look a long time ago. "That is not an option. Teach her to emulate her Other in every way. That is your primary mission."

"Wait," Axel called, before Saïx could enter a new Corridor. "You sure I'm the right guy for the job? I can see why you wouldn't pick Larxene, but Demyx and Vexen—they're the ones who get you wondering about hearts, you know?"

"I'm sure." Only Saïx could wear that intense expression on his face and still act like a zombie. "Number XIII seeks the companionship of her lost brother. You should know best what it means to cling to such feelings. Don't you, Lea?"

Axel grinned. "Yeah? What about you,  _Isa_?"

He scoffed. "I've been told I'm not easy to live with. You've always been the friendlier one. But I can assure you that she will be useful when the time comes— _if_ you do as ordered. So get to it."

Left in the dust as the man's Corridor closed, Axel thought it would be proper to throw his chakram at the wall. Something like that. He would have hated to be used like this. How did Saïx even know any of that information? But he didn't feel like even pretending to feel that way. And maybe that was exactly why he needed to do it.

For old time's sake.

* * *

Axel must have searched every corner in the castle before he finally found her in the last place he'd thought to look—right outside his room, and that was thanks to Lexaeus passing him in the kitchen and mentioning that he'd seen the little troublemaker there some time ago. When prompted about why she was there, her answer was apparently "obvious": she was looking for him.

He wanted to ask what made her think just standing outside his room was a good idea, except for the fact that it actually  _was_.

Problem was, it wasn't something a normal person with a heart would do. Unless maybe if they were obsessed with someone... but Ixta wasn't like that about anyone but her Other's brother. She was almost exactly like Zexion—all logic and step-by-step processes, except for the part where she managed to piss off even the stoic Schemer—which meant she was just acting like her usual zombie self. He was only glad she remembered enough about people to know not to step inside.

"Oh, yeah," she'd replied, when he told her just that. "Luxord didn't seem too pleased when I entered his room last week."

Axel groaned. The little resolve he had after his talk with Saïx earlier was crumbling, fast. He hadn't failed a mission yet, but this was starting to look like it would be the first.

"I don't even know why the higher-ups think you're so important," he frowned. "You seem fine just with being a zombie. Vexen hates you but thinks you'd be useful to have around. Why change, right? I'm wasting my time here."

" _No_ ," Ixta said, to his surprise. She almost sounded urgent. Almost. "I'm not fine being a zombie."

"Then why doesn't it come naturally to you?"

"I don't know," she answered, eyes bearing—something else. Just like the Superior, Ixta never really glanced away, but unlike Xemnas, this actually looked... Axel didn't know. Genuine, maybe? That was a leap too far for her limited range of feigned emotion. But her eyebrows did furrow, and her answer ended in what was almost a sigh. At best, she sounded confused about why her shoelaces were untied. But that was better than nothing.

"When I first woke up," she continued, "I knew I wasn't in my world anymore, and that Sora was missing. My last memory was our mom telling me to find him and—"

"Yeah, I already know that," Axel waved dismissively. "Everyone remembers their emotions, even if we don't have them. They're supposed to help you naturally react the way you did even before you lost your heart. So why don't they help you? What happened to you down there that you're just— _terrible_  at this?"

Now Ixta looked down in an attempt to recall. "When I first arrived, all I wanted to do was cry. I tried the first day, but I couldn't. I started to lose hope in the next, only to realize the third day that I  _didn't_  hope. It just seemed necessary to feel that way. When I met you all, I had already given up. But I was...thinking. About the emotion I remember my Other feeling most. Nothing else seems to matter in the face of that."

Now Axel was interested. Or he would be. "And what was  _that_?"

"The need to find Sora and protect him," Ixta shrugged like it was the most obvious thing. "My Other braved a storm to find him, and he was always part of her life. Something—someone—she felt she couldn't live without. I don't feel that love myself, but I want to find the boy. It's what  _she_  would want. The life she had is all I know. If we're working toward regaining our hearts and I become her when we finally reach that goal, she would work to see her brother again when she returns. Why not pre-empt it? And if I do find him, he would never accept me as I am. That's why I need to at least pretend."

"Heh," Axel shook his head, hiding his own surprise for how much that actually made sense. He hadn't thought she could think things through by this much. "See, this is where you've lost me. If you care so much about what your Other wanted, why you can't act like her properly? If all your memories revolve around her brother..."

Axel's mouth remained open for a few seconds. Ixta paused, too, glancing around the hallway and then at her own hands. Had she paralyzed him without meaning to do so?

"That's  _it_!"

Ixta blinked, subconsciously taking a step back. Axel had never really smiled her way, except when he was being sarcastic. "What is...it?"

"I'm a genius is what," he laughed. "Everyone has a focal point for their memories. Maybe a specific emotion—hating on love like Xaldin, for example. Or Vexen loving on his own experiments, Demyx caring too much about his hair... we're not really complicated creatures once you figure out a Nobody's strongest memory. Yours is that Sora kid. Your memories don't revolve around something—they revolve around some _one_. You're not applying how you remember feelings to everyone else because every feeling you remember is for your brother!"

He didn't wait for her to register his words with that usual blank look before patting himself on the back about it, grinning and giving his temple two proud taps. "See? Makes all the sense in the world, right?"

"It does," Ixta agreed, finally. "I have no reason to treat any of you with the compassion that she did Sora."

"Exactly. No reason to spare anyone a creepy laugh," Axel pointed out. "So let me give you a reason to treat everyone like Sora. Uh, but less lovey-dovey. Anyway. Reason is that the Superior thinks you're going to be best put to use if you're an expert at faking it."

"Why is that?"

Axel shrugged. "Because you're pretty? Because your attribute's the most useless? Who knows? Point is, serve your purpose for once. I bet Lexaeus drilled that into your head whenever you practiced, right?"

"Him and Xaldin, actually. I understand what you're saying, Axel. I should treat you all the way my Other treated Sora, but as if he wasn't my Other's brother."

"Yes!" Axel almost cheered. "That's it! ...Man. Was it really that hard to get it memorized?"

"Well—"

"Ah—" He raised a hand to silence her. "And another thing. No more step-by-step logical explanation stuff. Pretty sure your Other didn't do that to Sora, right?" Brotherly love only went  _so_ far.

When she agreed, Axel felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Or some of that survival instinct getting off his back about possibly being Dusked for failing, anyway. He still wasn't pleased with being promoted to babysitter  _and_ teacher, but maybe this mission would finally be interesting.

* * *

Whenever Ixta found herself alone—and that was often—she ruminated on how she would apply her memories of Sora to her superiors.

She wanted to consult her fire-wielding mentor, but he returned to the castle late more often than not, and by that time Ixta had usually grown bored enough to fall asleep. So she left him notes under his door instead, and he gave them back to her come morning with red marks all over. The first time he did, he asked her why exactly she went 'ha ha'—their compromise for whenever she thought it was appropriate to imitate laughter—when she was supposed to be disappointed for getting so much wrong again.

The answer was that she remembered Sora coming home from school with essays crammed the night before submission marked the same way. Her Other had felt amusement at her brother's indignation. Easygoing as he was, Sora had always been prideful about his work.

Axel visibly relaxed at that. And then he told her to try harder before zipping off to his next mission.

Neither did she interact with the others, much. Saïx had ensured that until VIII determined her fitness for 'exposure,' only Axel and Lexaeus would 'have to put up with her' for any reason. According to him, Number V was included because 'even a Nobody with such poor recall' would be instinctively fearful of V's great stature.

Despite all that, another week later, Ixta was ready. Axel had promised that he would return early today so that they could go over the ways she would practice acting around the others, but her Other had always been one to take the initiative—if she knew she could do it. And Ixta had read over her corrected notes long enough after missions to know what to do around the rest of the Organization.

The first member that evening was Saïx. It was simple with him. Sora had probably set the record for puberty's shortest rough patch: one entire week. Still, Ixta remembered it well. He kept to himself and hated being told what to do. Saïx was roughly the same: prideful and prone to lash out at irrelevant questions. The key with him, said Axel, was to "walk on eggshells"; speak when spoken to.

That done, she headed for the kitchen—surprisingly well-stocked, considering her rushed meals before missions usually consisted of whatever Lexaeus left behind. Her Other wasn't some master chef, but her meals had been good enough for her brother when their parents weren't home for dinner.

By the time she was finished, pancakes, syrup, eggs, hot dogs, fish, bacon, tea, and juice waited on the dining table, looking scrumptiously ready for consumption. The dining room was hardly ever used—Axel mentioned that members rose at different times and never really cared to eat together—but she would stay here for the rest of the evening in case anyone dropped by.

She had expected it to take a while, but to her fortune—or perhaps Luxord's—the Gambler was just in time, sighing to himself as he walked through the doorway.

"Hi, Luxord." Number X was suave and debonair—nothing like Sora, except they both liked being flattered. "Your beard is so neat today."

The Nobody froze, cards out and at the ready, but blinked when he faced her. "Oh, it's you. Sneaking up on people like that is rude, you know. Even if we aren't quite people. And..." the blond gave his beard a curious stroke. "Thank you, Ixta. What do we have here?"

"I'm sorry," she replied, and stood up to motion to the table. "I made this for everyone. Dig in. Consider it my apology for breaking into your room that one time."

"Hmm... Very well," the man nodded, and took a seat at the table. He'd just taken a bite of the scrambled egg when a familiar ponytail swung over his head.

"Bait! Heard Flamesilocks was keeping you out of sight till it was time for show and tell. Thought that'd last a bit longer."

"You win some, and you lose some," chuckled Luxord, ducking away from Xigbar's hair. "But today is a pleasure, Ixta. What are the odds that you'd reappear right as I'd nearly lost a particularly hairy game?"

Ixta shrugged at Luxord's question. Axel said that was the best recourse whenever he made odd gambling references. "Hi, Xigbar. I made this for everyone. Dig in. I hope you like it," she chose to say. Xigbar was playful, like Sora, with an ego just as easily wounded. She remembered a time when her Other pointed out a flaw of Sora's—the boy had brushed it off, but he was fairly standoffish for a time despite the way he continued joking. Saying anything at his expense would be a mistake—so she turned her lips up for a smile instead.

The look of it wasn't quite right, but Xigbar ignored that in favor of reappearing on the seat next to Luxord. A few bites of his hot dogs and he was already grinning.

"Not bad considering it's dinner time. So your Other was a cook, huh?"

"No, she was going to work at a Clinic."

"Ah. Now  _that_  explains a lot."

"What does?"

Ixta turned to the pink-haired newcomer at once with the same peculiar smile. "Hi, Marluxia. I made this for everyone. Dig in." And at the figure following in after him, "Axel, hello. I made this for everyone. Dig in."

Luxord nodded at the others in acknowledgment, but slowed his chewing at their dinner host's constant greeting. He glanced at her 'mentor.' "Why does she insist on...?"

"Looks like damage control wasn't a big success," Xigbar snickered. Marluxia quirked a brow in agreement. "Unless that brother she keeps mentioning is actually a broken record."

"Oh, jeez," Axel muttered, ignoring the others. "Ixta, let's talk outside."

She followed him into the hallway with a blink. "What's wrong, Axel? Are you upset that I began interacting with the others without you? Saïx seemed pleased enough when I turned in my report earlier, and I've gone over our notes several times. I think I'm ready."

Axel glanced back into the dining room and watched the others dig into the food just like she'd asked. He'd been lounging around away from their depressing little world when one of his Assassins came reporting about Saïx looking for him, asking if he'd given Ixta the go to start talking with members other than the assigned two. Rushing back to the castle, he had to admit he'd been a little apprehensive—but he'd faked it in front of Saïx, feigning all confidence.

Still, this was more progress than Axel had expected. He turned back to her with a scratch of his head. "Well... None of them seems to want to kill you yet, so I'd say you're doing a good job so far—except stop saying the same lines over and over! 'I made this for everyone. Dig in,'" the man mocked with a groan.

"Sora and my Other used to say 'Dig in' during meals—"

"Repeatedly?"

"No. Just once to one another."

Axel sighed. "You can't say the same things to everyone in front of each other. Even if you said it in front of Sora—they can't all be Sora together. Got it memorized? It's just weird, all right?"

Ixta paused, staring at Axel blankly, and then put a hand on his shoulder. With a light squeeze, she said, "I get it. Don't be upset."

He relaxed, shoulders slumping, before appearing to realize her ploy. He squinted at her. "Are you using a memory on me right now? Treating me like that kid?"

"You said I could be frank with you because you're my teacher. I thought that tricking you would mean my memory recall's improved. Has it?"

"Almost. That smile needs tweaking," Axel grinned, clapping her on the shoulder. "Not bad, though. All right. Get back in there and try not to get yourself killed."

Ixta obeyed, slipping back into the dining room and sitting next to Luxord. Axel took a plate across her, and nodded when she glanced at him.

"So," she said, glancing at everyone without her smile for the time being. "How did your missions go?"

Xigbar tilted his head side to side and shrugged, winking his eye at Axel. "Not bad."

Marluxia turned to her, setting his utensils down when he spoke. "I agree. I've hears terrible things in the Grey Area—but you are lovely, Ixta."

"Thank you, Marluxia."

Luxord spared Marluxia a curious glance before turning to Ixta. "So you remember your family, XIII?"

"Vaguely," she answered. Axel had told her not to trust anyone but him about information on her memory recall, though she didn't understand why. But because his lessons were working so far, she held her tongue. "Much less than you all remember, I'm sure. Your recall is much better than mine."

The man shrugged. "By now you must know that even in nothingness, we stand the hazard of the die."

"I disagree," said Marluxia, passing the Gambler a plate of bacon with the same calm smile. "If we simply took things as they came, there would be no Organization. No... We were meant for action. Hence the missions," he added, glancing sideways at Xigbar.

"Exactly," replied Luxord. "One works with the cards they are dealt."

"Mmm," Marluxia hummed dismissively.

"Or did you fail to understand my meaning?" Luxord smiled. "That is unfortunate."

Marluxia looked back at him with a glare. "Your first or your second? You changed your mind so quickly that I wasn't certain."

Meanwhile, Xigbar laughed. "You could learn a bit more from these two, Bait. Pretending like they care." He clapped his hands together thrice. "Bravo!"

Ixta stared at all of them, searching her memories for anything that might apply to this situation. Sora never fought with himself. And when he did fight with his friends... well, it was never about this. Whatever this was about. So she turned to Axel instead.

"...How did your mission go?"

Luckily for Ixta, Luxord and Marluxia were grown enough to put it aside when Xigbar began with his usual bout of teasing. Axel piped in every so often, playing off of their eyepatched superior's humor. XIII simply observed and stayed quiet.

Until everyone had gone, at least. No other member arrived for dinner, and Xigbar and Luxord had already cleared their sides of the table. It was silent all around after that—Axel didn't care to talk to Marluxia, and whatever he needed to say to his 'apprentice' could wait for privacy—with Ixta occasionally piping up with simple questions like the food or if Number XI himself could cook. Eventually, Marluxia rose to turn in.

"It's been a long day. Thank you for the meal, Ixta. It was surprisingly good."

To Axel's surprise, their newest member stood after him.

"Wait, Marluxia."

The man turned, stared down at her. "Yes?"

"You're very handsome."

He paused, then grinned, clearly amused, and took a step closer. Noticing the man eye him for a beat, Axel couldn't help his curled lip. "Hmm. You're quite pleasing to the eye yourself, Ixta."

She kept XI's gaze. "Thank you. Well, good night, Marluxia." With a nod, she walked past him and disappeared down the hallway.

Axel would have laughed at Marluxia's apparent shock if he wasn't thinking the same thing. Still, he couldn't pass up a chance to poke fun at the guy. "Smooth," he winked, then whipped up a Corridor and hopped in. He emerged outside of Ixta's room just in time to see her walk into the area with that usual blank look. Her head turned when she spotted him. Belatedly, she widened her eyes. He'd taught her a little bit about expressing surprise.

"Axel," she said, drawing up to him. "What did you think?"

He frowned. "What was that?"

Ixta stood there. "What was what? My dinner? My Other used to cook with Sora."

"Telling Marluxia he's pretty."

"He  _is_  pretty," she replied. "That's why I told him. Sora loved—loves being complimented. But I told Marluxia he was  _handsome_  instead. Sora's friend never liked being called pretty. Wasn't I right to do that?"

Axel paused, watching her as if to gauge the truth of her statement. But he knew she had no reason to lie. At this point, he didn't think she understood the point of lying yet. Only keeping quiet enough not to get killed. "...Yeah. Yeah, I guess you were."

"Thanks to your lessons. Thank you for not giving up on me, Axel."

The man smirked. "You don't mean that."

"If I had a heart, I would. Did I convince you?" She cleared her throat and repeated, softly this time, "Thank you, Axel. I mean it."

Axel rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand before she could touch his shoulder again. "Yeah, yeah, all right. You're welcome. Don't push it. You're good—but you're not  _that_  good."

"Then I'll have to practice more. But not on Xaldin," she noted aloud. "I'm tired. Good night, Axel."

Ixta sidestepped him and opened the door to her room, but turned back when she saw that he was still standing at the door—gaze never leaving her. "Was I wrong to do that?" she gave him no chance to reply when she recalled an old memory of her Other's. "Ah... Do you need tucking in? It was only then when... Well, Sora stopped needing tucking into bed after he..." She stopped when she recognized the look he was giving her. "Ah. You don't need tucking in. But why are you standing there?"

Axel snorted. "Don't flatter yourself. Just being a good mentor and making sure you don't run off with Marluxia in the middle of the night. Saïx wouldn't like that."

"Why not?"

Her mentor stared at her for a moment, and then laughed, pulling the door behind him as he finally left. "I'll tell you when you're older. Night. And work on that smile!"

"Good night," she called out before the door closed, then shrugged. Off to bed.

* * *

"An important meeting?"

Before Ixta, a silver and green Nobody nodded. It was a Devout—a Nobody recently discovered to thrive under her command. Though flexible like all its lesser brethren, it was large and wieldy and hardly ever attacked other creatures. Possessing a spiked crown and nothing else for a face, most of its power consisted of healing other Nobodies—unless it was alone and under heavy attack, in which case it would strike with various status conditions, distracting its opponent to buy itself time to flee. To Vexen's confusion, when paired with others, its kind had the puzzling tendency to draw all attention to itself with the green lines marking its body. Its lines would glow brightly, giving away its position while it healed itself and its allies until it was destroyed.

"About what?"

The Devout shook its head, lines illuminating the dull hallway as it murmured without a mouth. "The Superior," it said, "gave the order. We do not question, my liege."

"I guess not."

"Wow. They've got way better manners than you do, huh?"

Axel found her in a hallway with a smirk, motioning for the Devout to run along. With a nod from Ixta, it spun in the air, gave the two a polite flourish, and winked out of sight.

"That was rude," Ixta pointed out.

"Do you care?"

"No, but  _you shouldn't talk about anyone like they're not there_ ," enunciated Ixta. "Rule number 16."

"Yeah, yeah. Just do as I say, not as I do. Still can't believe you wrote those down," sighed Axel, scratching the back of his head. "Anyway, meeting. Let's go."

"About what?" she repeated, allowing him to usher her into a Corridor.

"Your 'curious' has gotten better," Axel said. "But now isn't the time. Come on."

Ixta had last been to the Round Room during her introduction. Were they to have a new member? But one of her Devouts would have at least heard something—they were prone to gossip and got along especially with the Dancers, a large contrast to her own interactions with Demyx so far.

Given the new girl's stubbornness, Axel was surprised they weren't the last to arrive. Demyx popped into his chair insisting he wasn't late, and Xaldin told him to hush and calm down. Smug as always, Marluxia arrived with no apologies some time after that. Xemnas was still missing.

And then, on the highest seat in their circle, a Corridor disrupted the prickly silence. The Superior appeared, sitting casually on his throne like they were supposed to kowtow to him one by one. Not that Axel really cared. He sat back when their  _glorious_  leader began to talk.

"My friends," Xemnas addressed them. "Today we have cause for celebration! The Keyblade wielder has been found."

"When?"

"Who are they?"

"Are we to take them into the fold?"

He raised his hand, and all fell silent. "It is a child. A mere boy—but not one to be underestimated," he said at once. "The Keyblade's chosen is a being of great strength, no matter their station."

"He must be observed," said Vexen. "The laboratory is well-equipped for these purposes."

Marluxia chuckled. "I doubt one so powerful would agree to sit around and get poked at."

The scientist snarled. Zexion ignored them both. "They're both partially correct. Lord Xemnas, I suggest this boy be observed in his natural habitat. We must gauge his power without making contact before we make any further decisions."

Xemnas sent a slow nod his way. "A prudent choice. Ixta, you shall go in our place. Watch the boy. Learn his habits. Strengths. Weaknesses."

The entire room seemed to shrink as the other members turned to the girl in shock. Even Ixta blinked at his orders, turning a finger to point at herself. "The mission is mine?"

"She's a complete weakling," Larxene protested, not even looking at Ixta next to her as she spoke. Her tone was only slightly less disdainful before the Superior. "Why send her? Even  _Demyx_  makes more sense."

Number IX shot up in his seat and wildly waved his arms in the shape of an x. "Uh...! No, I don't! Actually, I think Ixta's a  _great_ choice. Say, doesn't she have that Vanish spell, like Zexion?"

"I must agree with Larxene," said Luxord. "Ixta's poor memory recall would leave her in a pinch were she to be caught. Why not send another?"

"Nah," Xigbar grinned, sitting back in his seat, obviously enjoying the show. "You think we're sending her alone? What's bait for? Reel 'em in, Ixta—then let someone else handle it. Right?"

"I'm confused," she answered, eyes on Axel. His were trained to Saïx.

"Number XIII is assigned to the mission," the Superior's voice boomed over the rest. He spoke with no more emotion than he normally did, but the room hushed immediately. "She is best able to measure the chosen one's strength and report to us. She will be joined by another should she need protection."

Beside him, arms crossed, Xaldin sighed. "Waste of resources."

His protest was drowned out by Marluxia's mellifluous voice. "I will go," he volunteered, smiling at the girl on his left. "My attribute's and Ixta's greatly complement each other. I am able to protect her if it comes to blows."

"No," Saïx frowned. "Axel should join her. He has so far successfully kept her in check, and is equally skilled to keep her intact."

"This is true," Lexaeus finally said.

As Xemnas looked over each of them, his stony gaze never faltered. It settled comfortably on Ixta. "XIII, take Axel with you and report back immediately. That is all."

Watching the others shift in either approval or protest, the girl could only nod. An order was an order, as Saïx often said—and though she understood why the others disagreed, she would fulfill the mission nonetheless. "Yes, Lord Xemnas."

* * *

"Glad they asked for my opinion on this mission."

Ixta stopped in her tracks. "Would you have refused the Superior?"

Axel shrugged.

She recognized that look, too. It meant he would say no more. That was all right; she wasn't too invested in the answer. After all, their mission here was to find the Keyblade Master.

"Here" was a world called Traverse Town. It was just as in their dark city, where night never shifted to day and the place was utterly radiant with artificial lights, except that it was home to quaint houses and shops instead of a floating castle and ambitious skyscrapers. And the world had its own charm—or it would, if she had a heart. Its main district was filled to the brim with refugees from worlds swallowed by the darkness, and she could imagine Sora staying at such a populated place if he had escaped their crumbling world. Maybe she would return here after another mission and make a search.

"So do you sense him?" Axel asked, stooping to press his nose against the window of a closed shop. The 1st District had so many types of people going to and fro that two cloaked figures were hardly a novel sight.

"Ah...yes." She tore her eyes from a litter of three ribboned kittens scurrying after two larger cats toward a back alley. "It's just as the Superior said. His strength seems boundless."

"Boundless?" Axel stood up straight. "You mean...stronger than the Superior?"

"No one is stronger than the Superior," was her quick response, but she paused when his face seemed to fall. In retrospect, it was odd and yet just fitting to compare the power she could sense to that of Lord Xemnas. "But maybe—he could be. I can't explain. Lord Xemnas's power is overwhelming. This one feels...dormant. As if the full extent of his strength is undetermined. At present, anyway."

"Huh." Ixta expected him to quip about their inability to 'feel,' and was surprised when only he nodded. "Okay. If anyone asks you that same question, answer with the first thing you said. Ah—" He interrupted her before she could even ask why. "Xemnas is proud that way. I know I told you not to bother faking and to be straight with him, but he'll get angry if he finds out."

"You mean I should lie in my report?"

"It wouldn't be lying—technically," Axel added. "You said you couldn't explain it. This is just the easier way of explaining it to them  _and_ keeping yourself safe at the same time. You sure you want to bear the brunt of Xemnas' anger?"

Her averted eyes answered that. When she looked back to him, her lips were pursed thoughtfully. It was the only thing that Axel found came naturally to her.

"And you'll keep it a secret, too?"

"I told you you could trust me, right?"

She nodded.

"So. Got it memorized?"

"Sure," she said, just as she always did when he asked the question. But mostly because his reason for it made sense. "I won't tell anyone about the boy's potential."

"Speaking of the kid," Axel frowned, casting his gaze over the people. "Where is he?"

"Around here somewhere..."

The crowd began to thin coming closer to a large accessory shop near one of the corners of the town, and further that, down a short flight of steps, was an alfresco restaurant illuminated only by soft candlelight. The sweet scent of syrup wafted over the plaza it fronted.

"There," she pointed to the establishment, weaving past a particularly noisy pair—a large, long-haired, muscular man carrying a noisy old woman all in purple relaxed in a shaded seat on his back. "If I could only see..."

The worlds her missions had so far sent her travelling to had gotten her used to the idea and sight of non-humans, but her sense of the Keyblade master still led her to a curious one. A large duck and a bipedal dog sat on one of the tables, the former devouring some sort of cake while the latter appeared to chatter amiably with his friends. These companions consisted of a duck and one more—a human boy with spiky hair, a hooded shirt, and fingerless gloves—

Ixta swerved back and ran face first into Axel.

"Hey!" He caught her by the shoulders and steadied her. "Going the wrong way there. Which one's our Keyblade Master? There are tons of kids in there, and I don't see any of 'em waving a big key around."

"It's him," she said, glancing over her shoulder but scrambling to switch places with her superior. For a moment, Axel resisted, but Ixta always explained herself to him eventually. As she peered over his shoulder, she murmured, "Sitting with the duck and the dog. The only one eating pancakes for dinner."

Axel found that last description suspect, but let it pass in favor of searching the tables. It was a little dark because of that dumb candle motif the place had going. "Oh. That kid, huh? The Keyblade Master?"

"No. Well, yes, but..."

Her grip on his arm was tighter than he remembered—since when was she even touchy?—but it loosened when he finally turned to look at her.

"That's Sora."

The words registered late with Axel. He didn't know what to double-take at first—that their newest member and the Keyblade Master were connected, or that Ixta's smile finally looked real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, we get to Sora! Not sure if the pacing's too fast or too slow, but Ixta needed better memory recall and Axel needed to see where Ixta was coming from. As for how close or far the last two scenes are from canon... We hope so?
> 
> They never address when the Organization was formed, and so we assumed it was already up and running during KH1's events, especially because of BBS. How active they were during those days is debatable, and what exactly Xemnas thought of the worlds disappearing and how much he knew of Ansem SOD is something we don't even want to think about, but here we're assuming (again) that he was at least aware of it. He does pop up close to the end of KH1 to see Sora for himself. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy to tackle Organization concerns head on, so we hope it's plausible enough for him to throw peons at the issue first before dealing with them himself. As for why he chose Ixta for it, well, Axel's figuring that out himself, too.
> 
> We had concerns about Axel's characterization here, mostly because he changes so much throughout the series. In CoM, he's smooth and cunning, keeping the spotlight off himself while turning people against each other. In Days, he's still pretty secretive, but we see that he's driven by his friendships—the old one with Saïx and the new ones with Roxas and Xion. In KH2 he goes completely ballistic and first gives up on Roxas joining Sora then makes a 180 and decides he wants to turn Sora into a Heartless again. Total nutjob. Anyway, this is before CoM, so we're going with the smooth/cunning personality with a lighthearted facade. At this point he's sorta trying to maintain his old friendship with Isa/Saïx, but his heart's just not really into it, y'know? (He hasn't got one) 
> 
> Also, apologies on the lack of environmental description. They're usually in the castle and its hallways don't usually look, smell, or sound different on most days.


	5. sparks

To Axel's surprise, Ixta didn't push past him and tackle the Keyblade Master in some big sister bearhug. He wasn't even sure what he'd expected her to do if they ever found her precious Sora, but it definitely wasn't her asking to RTC so she could submit her report at once.

There he was—the entire reason for her non-existence. The focus of all her memories. Axel understood not being able to approach him, but she'd just turned around and summoned a Corridor.  _The mission was to scout_ , she said.  _My Other would be happy to see him, but now that we know he's also the Keyblade Master, we have to report back._

Well, it was none of his business if she wanted to be a Nobody about the whole finding-her-brother thing. But that they were related was entirely the Organization's business. So when the castle was finally asleep, Axel found himself sweeping into Saïx's room. Barging in unannounced was fine for them—or at least that was how it was for their Others. It was one of the few things Saïx hadn't done away with since he started rising in the Organization's ranks.

"Did you know?"

"Axel," Saïx greeted. He didn't glance up from the reports he was reading. "What do you want?"

"Don't play dumb. Did you know the new girl was the Keyblade Master's older sister?"

Saïx paused, setting the files properly on his desk and turning to face him. "Don't you trust me to tell you something so vital?"

Axel's clenched fist relaxed. It was a reflex action that meant nothing to either of them. "But Xemnas knew, didn't he? That's why he took her in so quickly. Why he  _needed_  her to know how to act exactly like her Other. He doesn't show up for just anything."

"The girl is our 13th member. He had to see her for himself."

"Why?" When the man gave him a blank look equivalent to a noncommittal shrug, Axel snorted. "One step behind again. Fantastic."

"It's irrelevant," Saïx insisted. "Now we understand why it is crucial that her memory recall be perfect. And if he knew it, the information no longer belongs to Lord Xemnas alone. You are XIII's mentor. Should the boy refuse to fulfill his duty, the sister will come into play."

"And you think I can control her?" Axel crossed his arms. "She's obsessed with that kid now. What makes you think she'll stick with us once she really starts acting like her Other?"

"You said she smiled when she saw him and yet chose to submit her report. She no longer needs a leash—she is already in our grasp. All you need to do is maintain control. Ensure she doesn't step out of line."

Axel paused, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "Okay. And her missions?"

"She will continue to carry them out," Saïx says. "Her schedule remains the same as any member, only with your training added. Ixta is not so special or utterly necessary that she must receive extraordinary treatment. Don't you agree?"

He shrugged. "Because contingency plans are like that, right?"

Saïx gave a wry smile. "Exactly."

* * *

_The summer sun was especially hot, beating down on their islands in unrelenting waves – and that was exactly why it was the perfect day to go to the beach._

_"Come on!" she laughed over her shoulder, holding her surfboard over her head as she padded through the hot sand. Once she reached the shore, she dumped it at her feet. After a while, Sora and Riku managed to drag their shared board next to her. She wasn't surprised. They were only eight, after all. More or less._

_"Sora! Tai! Riku!" Some ways from the shore, their mothers called out, each holding a camera. "Smile!"_

_Riku sighed when it was over. "Okay, now can we go?"_

_"Huh? Aren't we gonna wait for Kairi?" asked Sora. The mayor's wife was still lathering a generous amount of sunblock on the girl's face._

_"We won't go very far," she answered, grabbing Riku's wrist when he tried to go ahead before her signal. "It's just balancing on the surfboard."_

_"Oh. Okay, I'm ready!" Sora grinned toothily. His face fell after a beat, one brow precociously quirked at his sister. "...Are you sure this is safe?"_

_Laughter. It would be the last time the boy would ever think before rushing headlong into any activity. "I would never lead you to danger, Sora. Mom would kill me!"_

In the Grey Area, Marluxia and Larxene sat side-by-side on the couch. Recruited almost immediately after one another, they had seen early on that the first six members had a clique of their own while the latter half was odd and disjointed. Saïx was too concerned with missions to fraternize, Axel was flippant and yet somehow managed to keep to himself, and Demyx and Luxord were too whiny and too strange, respectively, to endure for more than half an hour. And so, in an unspoken agreement, XI and XII had found the most tolerable company in each other.

Glancing up from cleaning her knives, Larxene peered at their newest member sitting quietly on the other side of the room. Ixta was staring out the window – a common sight since they found out that the Keyblade Master was her brother. Larxene had tried taunting her about it, but she was always too busy spacing out with a dumb grin on her face to even pretend to care. It would have infuriated the Nymph if she had a heart. Instead, she only laughed.

"She looks even more clueless than usual."

Relaxing with a book after a particularly grueling mission, Marluxia looked at Larxene before following her gaze. They seldom spoke, but it wasn't an unwelcome topic. He had thought on the matter himself. "Those two are...curious."

Larxene arched a brow at him.

He explained, "Siblings with such strong hearts—and yet while the Keyblade chose one, the other was swallowed by the darkness and spat out to become...nothing. I can see why Xemnas keeps her despite her...odd behavior. When it comes to matters of the heart, connections can make or break even the most powerful creatures."

"...What in the worlds are you talking about?"

Marluxia opened his mouth, but pursed his lips at two figures walking into the area: another blond and a younger man with a dark grey mop on his head. Without so much as a cursory glance to the other three in the room, the two murmured to each other, nodding emphatically or, in Zexion's case, giving an occasional hum to signal comprehension. And then, with a wave from Vexen, both opened their own Corridors and disappeared.

"Ugh," Larxene spat. "Those two are hateful. They act like they're better than the rest of us just because they were Nobodies first?  _They_ were the ones who couldn't put up a fight against the Heartless long enough to stop their hearts from getting stolen."

She turned to Marluxia expectantly, but he only looked thoughtful. A small smile played on his lips. "So you think Lord Xemnas is the weakest of us for being the first?"

Larxene's eyes widened. "I didn't say that!" she snapped. At once, she began to doubt her decision to tolerate him. When he said nothing in reply, only returning her expectant stare from earlier, she continued, eyes narrowed. "Think about it. Just because their hearts got snatched first..."

"I understand your meaning," he interrupted. "I've had the same thoughts."

Larxene relaxed, face almost brightening – until a shuffle sounded from across the area. Ixta rose, walking to the center of the room and opening a Corridor in freer space.

"Ixta?" Marluxia called out. They hadn't quite spoken since her dinner save the girl's greetings upon seeing them, but he was aware that his beauty had a certain pull on her. "Where are you going?"

She glanced over, finally acknowledging them with a smile. It was new and already abused, in Larxene's opinion, but even she admitted that it was a big improvement. Before their most recent discovery, even Lexaeus couldn't stand it. "Into this Corridor," she answered, and stepped in.

Larxene sneered. "She's almost as irritating as Vexen."

The sound of another Corridor bursting open interrupted Marluxia's reply. Scratching the back of his head, Axel emerged with a look of displeasure. He turned when he caught them from the corner of his eye. "Hey."

Marluxia nodded. Larxene smiled sweetly. "You just missed your  _favorite_ member."

The words didn't catch up with the redhead. "What?"

"Oh, nothing," the woman singsonged.

"I'd ask if I wasn't playing errand boy," Axel reassured her, then glanced between the both of them. "Either of you seen Ixta?"

"Not as yet today, no," replied Marluxia, and Larxene didn't protest. Both had always found his assignment to her suspect. Axel was, first and foremost, a fighter. Asking him to mentor anyone made as much sense as asking Xigbar not to aim and shoot.

"Gotta go hunting, then. See you around," he nodded, giving them a two-finger salute before walking off. He looked over his shoulder only when he was out of sight. He'd never realized that Marluxia and Larxene were that close.

Watching him go, Larxene rolled her eyes. "We have a lot to talk about."

Marluxia smiled, gaze still fixed on the dark hallway leading away from the Grey Area. "I believe we do."

* * *

She wasn't supposed to be here.

Once it became known that their long-awaited Keyblade-wielder was none other than her Sora, Ixta was ordered to provide the Organization with all her memories of the boy – for what better source than his own sister's Nobody? – but she could give nothing that might explain his being chosen. And then, when it was decided that there was no more information in the girl, Xemnas removed her from reconnaissance duty.

 _To protect you_ , he said, and she could understand that. But she couldn't help herself.

She needed to see him. Not for her own desire, but for her memories. Ixta recalled no new memories since before her recruitment into the Organization. But ever since that night in Traverse Town, she had begun to remember things. Small ones – words said between her and Sora, disjointed sentences, echoes with little context – but memories all the same. And just a while ago...

A morning surfing at the beach. The sun on her face, the laughter in her belly. Ixta had almost felt warmth until she realized that it meant nothing to her. But the memory of feeling joy was the reason she could feign a smile without eliciting a grimace from the others, and she needed more of it. Once she accomplished that, she would bring Sora into the fold to help them regain hearts, and she would be Ixta no more.

To that end, she took a Corridor to Traverse Town. The Second District remained evacuated, teeming as it did with Heartless. This part of town especially reminded her of the Castle and the dark world beneath it. All flashing lights and pretty signs with a more homely splash of color, but empty save for the squeaking shadows. Her Other would have been disappointed – she had liked shopping with Sora. Or did that only apply to groceries? She supposed it was for the best. She didn't want to risk being seen in her coat again, and these empty shops were the best place to purchase clothes to blend in. Her Other had favored cropped tops and dark leggings, and Ixta found a top whose shade of green she particularly remembered seeing in her closet.

"You look great!" she said, brushing a hand through her hair. The action appeared familiar to her, but her tone of voice sounded odd. She would have to ask Axel and work on that later.

Her clothes seemed to lack something, though. Not enough...

"Belts," Ixta realized aloud.

There were none in this shop. She had already searched it. So, setting a pile of munny atop the abandoned cash register, she set out for another store – in vain. There were no belts – only a lone shadow lifting itself from the floor's surface across the plaza.

With a flick of her wrist, Ixta gripped Gorgoneion – named by Zexion, though she didn't understand why – and pointed it at the rising Heartless. It was one she recognized as the White Mushroom, aptly named for its red cap and what appeared to be a white smock over its body. According to the Organization's files, they were mostly harmless, and special in that they were prone to dancing and only ran away when they attacked. This one only stared at her with its beady yellow eyes from beneath its cap.

"Ow," Ixta murmured. As soon as she recognized it, her focus on Gorgoneion slipped. A cold pain jolted like lightning through her skull, and she was barely able to keep her eyes on the creature as she struggled to stay on her feet, propping herself up against a bench.

_A sunny day, as always._

_The pain shot through her chest as she drew the curtains closed. She curled up to her knees on the side of her bed, but that didn't help. Why didn't Kain like her? She just couldn't understand. She was beautiful, too. What was she doing wrong? Wasn't she interesting enough? Smart enough? What did Rosa have that she didn't?_

"Go away," Ixta groaned, gripping her head. As though it understood her, the Heartless whirled, arms on its cap, squirming and turning for the door to the First District, but it seemed rooted to its spot as well. The memory felt like it was flooding her body. Other things came to her simultaneously—sights, words, emotions, smells, but this one was the most vivid at the moment. It pulled her, pushed, heaved, like it wanted to turn her inside out and back. She breathed heavily, focusing on her surroundings as Lexaeus had taught her, but it was difficult. Her vision was going dark.

_She tried to resist, swallowing down her emotion, but that only made it worse. The lump in her throat was too much to bear. Her vision blurred with tears._

_"Tai!" a small voice called out. The hallway creaked with heavy, eager footsteps. "Tai, guess what happened at school today!"_

_She froze. Quickly, she lowered her legs to the floor and wiped her eyes on her sleeves. Turning to the door, she received him with a smile. "Yeah, Sora?"_

"Hyyyyah!"

The White Mushroom disappeared with a gust of darkness as the spinning blades of a large weapon made contact with it.

"Hey!" an angry voice yelled from above.

Ixta stood, regaining her balance as a girl almost her age landed before her, deftly catching what now appeared to a shuriken in her hand. Her short hair was ruffled over her face from her leap, so she brushed it away with a flick of her head. That done, she focused a furious look on Ixta.

"What do you think you're doing?" she gasped, reaching for Ixta. The Nobody tried to dodge, but the girl was surprisingly agile and snatched her wrist without missing a beat. "Didn't you see the sign?  _Second District closed_. Your heart could've been taken, you know!"

The girl dragged a reluctant Ixta to the gigantic wooden doors leading to the First District. "I'm sorry?" she ventured, hoping remorse was audible in her tone. She was still wondering what had happened with that White Mushroom. Not even Zexion was able to do that to her with his illusions. Had it even been the Heartless? Or was it the memory that caused her pain?

"You'd be sorrier if I wasn't around!" the girl declared, but paused to finally gauge her newest refugee. "Huh. I've never seen you around here before." When she was certain the coast was clear, the girl led Ixta to the First District and slammed the doors shut. "But you know something?"

"I know a few things," Ixta answered.

The girl gave her a funny look before speaking again, dragging her across the square close to the restaurant where Ixta had first seen Sora. He wasn't there tonight. "You look  _really_ familiar. Have we met before?"

Ixta sensed him faintly before, but his presence was clear to her now. The feeling of his boundless energy tugged at her. To her surprise, this girl seemed formidable herself. "No," Ixta answered absentmindedly. It was only when she saw that they had stopped in order to let the girl stare at her that she stood at attention. "We haven't met before." Was this someone from the islands? But she couldn't be. Otherwise  _she_  might remember her Other. "Who are you?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" the girl exclaimed, and pointed to herself in a large gesture of pride. " _I'm_ the Great Ninja Yuffie."

"I see. Then we've never met."

Yuffie scoffed, sounding offended. Even then, her pout stretched into a wide grin. "Oh! I know! You look a lot like this kid who's been dropping by lately—Sora!" she nodded vigorously, beckoning as she started moving again, pushing past the flow of people. "Know a kid by that name?"

Ixta followed, admittedly surprised. The First District was so full that she hadn't expected anyone else to know Sora. Then again, he was an amiable boy who could find friends in whoever he met – but this girl couldn't know that she knew that.

"No."

She had direct orders  _not_ to make contact with Sora, and she wouldn't disobey them. Not to mention she barely sounded like Tai as she remembered her. Meeting him now would surely bring about her own destruction.

Yuffie frowned. "You sure? Blue eyes like yours? Spiky brown hair? Now that I think about it, you look  _just_  like him. But with tamer hair," she grinned.

Ixta shook her head. "I don't know a Sora."

"Hmm..." Yuffie tapped an index finger at her lower lip. "Oh, I know! All he ever talks about are Kairi and Riku. Are you either of them?"

"No," she repeated. "Because I don't know anyone named Sora."

Yuffie squinted at her. "Maybe you just have amnesia. It can't be a coincidence that you look so much alike. Lucky for you, Sora's in town!  _Here_  we are," she sang, motioning to the accessory shop. Standing before the double doors, Ixta only realized then that her sense of Sora's strength had magnified while she was thinking. Only this door stood between the two of them now.

With a wink, Yuffie turned to the doors and gave both a big swing open – then struck a pose. "Hey, guys! Sora! There's someone I want you to meet."

Inside the accessory shop, Aerith and Leon stood near the counter by Cid. Sora sat on the couch between Donald and Goofy, chatting away about the latest world they'd visited.

"Welcome back, Yuffie," Aerith smiled. "Who is it?"

"Is it Kairi?" Sora grinned.

"Nope," said Yuffie. "Oh, actually, I don't know her name. Hey—"

Yuffie turned around, stiffened, glanced back at the others, then turned again. When she faced her friends a third time, she was wearing a frown. "That's weird. She was  _right_  there, I swear!"

Cid quirked a brow, scratching his head. "You been eatin' Merlin's cookies again?"

Yuffie scoffed. "Maybe  _yours!_ "

"What was that? We  _all_  know my cookies beat that wizard's by a mile and  _then_ some. Conjurin' sweets instead of bakin' em like yer s'posed to..." Cid grumbled.

"I think they're both great," said Aerith.

"Gawrsh, Yuffie," Goofy blinked. "Maybe you should sit down."

Leon nodded. There was a long pause before he spoke. "I agree. You've been on patrol for a while."

"Hey! I'm not crazy," Yuffie insisted. "Sora, she looked just like you. The hair color, the eyes, the works!"

"Okay, we believe you," Donald teased. "Right, Sora?"

Sora's brows furrowed, meeting Yuffie's gaze with genuine worry. For a second, the ninja was ready to rub that in all their faces – until the boy shook his head. His somber features broke into a grin. "Yeah, we believe you!"

All Yuffie could do was groan. "Unbe _liev_ able."

Outside the accessory shop, Ixta watched the scene in curiosity. It was a good thing she'd acted swiftly and cast Vanish on herself before Sora could lay his eyes on her. She tried to think as Yuffie closed the door in confusion and she watched them laugh, but she remembered nothing after leaving her parents to find Sora. It wasn't likely that her parents made it off the island. Sora had only escaped by virtue of the Keyblade.

Did Kairi and Riku? It made sense that he would search for them. They were, after all, his best friends.

Ixta watched Sora laugh at something the woman in pink said.

Opening a Corridor, she left Traverse Town at once.

* * *

Axel leaned against the wall, tapping his feet every so often. Not that he could feel boredom or frustration, but there were better things he could be doing with his time. Eating ice cream, for example. Destroying Heartless for the fun of it. Eating ice cream.

...So there wasn't much he could do. Saïx hadn't wanted to vanquish Heartless in a while. The appearance of the Keyblade Master was giving him more paperwork to do (or something), and Axel had to admit he wasn't much into reading. He wasn't the type to spend his free time poring over Organization files on Heartless just to know what kind of enemy he was facing. He wasn't Ixta.

Speaking of which –

"Where is she?"

"We are unsure, my liege," said the Assassin hunched before him. It swayed its arms and head as it spoke. "The Devouts refuse to speak."

"Really?" Axel quirked a brow. "I thought they were gossips."

"They are. But they insist on their own ignorance."

Axel sighed and waved it away. He couldn't believe he was taking Ixta's advice. Was he to be blamed, though? Really? After a diligent search around the castle and worlds she knew weren't destroyed, he'd come up with nothing. Ixta wasn't the type to wander – he had no idea where she was. And XI and XII insisted they hadn't seen her all day, either. Where else was he going to look besides where she'd eventually end up?

Nowhere – and he wasn't kidding. That was exactly how Axel found himself standing outside XIII's room.

He was just about to chalk it up to her finally being careless enough to get destroyed by some Heartless when he heard footsteps coming down the hallway.

Just like Axel's entire day, Ixta was – off. She was walking slowly, and Ixta never did that. While she wasn't usually in a hurry to get around everywhere, a moderate pace was her average speed—quickly enough to get where she needed to around the Castle without a Corridor, but never slow enough that he wished she took a Corridor instead. He was still a little miffed at Zexion for teaching her to summon one. He and Saïx had agreed that keeping her without a means to leave the castle on her own would help them keep an eye on her, but the Schemer had gone ahead and taught her how. Well, no hard feelings. She was going to pester him eventually, and better someone else than him, he guessed.

When he snapped out of his thoughts, she was  _still_ walking toward him.

"Ixta," he called out to her. "Lose a bet with Luxord?"

She looked up. "Hello, Axel. No I didn't."

"Okay then. Have you just been walking around the castle all day?"

Ixta shook her head. "No."

Something was definitely up. She wasn't completely forthcoming with her thoughts anymore since their training began, but she was to him compared with how she was to the others.

Axel sighed, scratching at his head again. She would at least recognize that as a sign of supposed irritation without him having to say it. "Lemme ask you a question."

If she noticed, she gave no indication. "Yes?"

"Why did you run away from Sora? He's technically your brother, right?"

Ixta glanced behind him at her door. "It was a recon mission. We weren't supposed to engage him."

Axel crossed his arms, bearing down on her. "Really? That's all you have to say about that?"

Ixta said nothing. All she did was lift a hand, two fingers reaching for his face—

Axel grabbed her wrist before she could. "Whoa, what are you doing?" he frowned. "I didn't think I had to make a rule for inappropriate touching. No touching anyone without their permission, all right? Ever. What's going on?"

"I'm sorry," she said automatically, watching him steadily. "I was just curious—about your tattoos. They look like tears."

"These?" He asked, free hand reaching for the marks beneath his eyes. "Nah..." And then, remembering himself, Axel lowered her arm and made sure it stayed at her side. He watched her with a furrowed brow. "Do you think you should feel like crying because you finally saw him again?"

"No," she answered easily. "Axel, may I ask an invasive question?"

He wondered what it was this time, but at least she was doing more than just answering his questions at the moment. It had to be related to that kid. Why else would she be acting like this, right? "Go ahead."

"Sora was the one my Other cherished the most," said Ixta. "Who was the one you cared for the most? Did you have a brother or a sister, too?"

Axel's eyes widened. No one had ever asked him that before. And he didn't mean Nobody. "Where did you go that you got this into your head?"

"I asked first," said Ixta.

"Fine," Axel shrugged. "Yeah, I guess you could say I had a brother before."

Ixta took a step closer. "A younger brother, too?"

"Ah, no. Actually, we were just friends. But he was my best friend—so we were practically like brothers."

"I see. So your friend was the most important to you."

"I'm sure you had friends, too," Axel offered, though he had no idea where this was going. Ixta usually had a point when she rambled.

"I did," she confirmed. "I just don't remember a thing about them. Am I cruel for that? For caring about my brother more than my own friends? Am I wrong to?"

"I don't think so," Axel shrugged. Since when had she been concerned about being cruel? Or even wrong? "Priorities, y'know? Everyone has 'em, but it won't be the same for all of us. You have yours. I have mine. For Xaldin," he grinned, "it's the Organization. Got it memorized?"

Ixta was quiet. It wasn't really for a while, but it was long enough to be odd. And then she nodded in acceptance. "Thank you, Axel."

She sidestepped him in order to enter her room, but turned at the last minute. "Oh," she said, meeting his curious gaze. "How was your day?"

"Okay, I guess," he answered. "Weirder now that I've talked to you."

He was smiling, and Ixta knew he was both joking and feigning amusement. She returned it with a smile he knew was perfunctory. He had to admit—she'd perfected it. Or was it that seeing Sora had perfected it for her?

"You win some, and you lose some," she said. "Good night, Axel." With that, she entered her room and shut the door behind her.

"Right," Axel rolled his eyes. "You need to stop hanging out with Luxord."

"I don't hang out with Luxord," she answered from the door. "I'm going to sleep now."

Axel blinked, then laughed as he left the hallway.

"Damn it," he muttered when he arrived at his own room. Of course he'd forgotten to tell her about their mission tomorrow. He could pop into her room, but decided not to bother her anymore. When Ixta said she was going to sleep, she was going to do just that. Sometimes he forgot she was still a zombie.

* * *

Ixta found herself surrounded with unfamiliar white halls the next day. It wasn't their castle, she knew, because lesser Nobodies liked to wander there, and this place was empty. It did, however, have a little more to it than just white. Odd symbols were sculpted against the walls and columns, but they were unknown to her. They called it Castle Oblivion – but its halls seemed to stretch endlessly into each other, as if doors and stairs were only a formality. It didn't feel like a castle from the inside.

"What is this place?"

"Xemnas found it a while back," answered Axel, her assigned companion for the day. She had thought she was finished taking missions with other members, but this was upon special request of the Superior, he'd said. Seeing no harm in it, she didn't complain.

"Lord Xemnas," she repeated. "I wonder how he came to discover what he was in the beginning. I never would have imagined that I was a Nobody."

Walking ahead of her, Axel didn't respond. Ixta caught up with him to glance at his face, wondering if she had somehow offended him, but she hadn't said anything wrong. Then again, maybe he simply didn't know what to say. She knew little of the Superior except that he would lead them to their hearts again, and she didn't expect Axel to have more information. He didn't seem to care very much for Lord Xemnas. Not the way Saïx did.

"The castle is going to be the Organization's second base of operations," said Axel, and Ixta realized that he must not have heard her, after all. She didn't press the issue; she had only wondered aloud, and the answer was unnecessary. "Or so Saïx tells me."

"Is there a reason we need a second base?" she asked. "The castle is large enough. Sometimes I can't find Demyx when Saïx tells me to find him."

"That's not because of the castle," Axel smirked as he glanced back at her. "Anyway, I'd tell you if I knew. All I know is we're supposed to sweep the place and check for Heartless. Sense anything?"

She shook her head 'no.' "But..."

He quirked a brow.

"Wait," said Ixta. "Do you sense that?"

"I don't have your power, so no."

"But it's..." Ixta turned to the door at the end of the hall. It would lead to stairs, which would lead to another hall, at the end of which there would be another door opening to another flight of stairs. She knew that, but this thing had been at the back of her mind ever since she stepped into this castle. As though someone was calling her, and she kept forgetting to glance back. "There."

Without another word, she ran for the door.

"Hey!" Axel called, turning on his heel to give chase. "Ixta!"

By the time he caught up with her – two halls over, and only because she'd let him – Axel was already frowning. It wasn't that her running off upset him; only that he had stopped liking surprises a long time ago.

"Well?"

"I can't find it. It should be here," she answered, hand pressed against a pillar. She looked like a lunatic talking to the walls, but he didn't care enough to make a comment at the moment. If there was something in here, he wanted to know. They'd been searching this place regularly and had found nothing. Not that it was any more comforting now – it was Xemnas's idea that Ixta might have the ability to sense what the others couldn't.

"Find what? Zexion already gave this place a whiff and didn't smell anything."

Ixta glanced at him, removing her glove and touching the wall with her bare palm. After a second or so, she shook her head and put it back on. "So you've been here before?"

He saw no point in hiding it now. "Yeah. This place is a mystery. Partly why we haven't started operations – it's a little harder to get around here if you don't pay attention."

"Oh," said Ixta, accepting the information, then decided it was best to move on. "There are no Heartless here – only it. Whatever it is, I can't reach it. Maybe we need to destroy this wall."

"Tried that already," said Axel. "Xaldin and Lexaeus had a field day testing the durability of the castle. All that did was open the way to another hallway a few floors up or down. Then, once they left, the destroyed area disappeared like it never happened."

"Is it that the castle is indestructible?" Ixta asked. "Or that it toys with your memories?"

"Vexen said it's the memories, but he can't get anything past that."

"...Oh," said Ixta, accepting the information with a nod. She didn't say more.

Axel's eyes narrowed, and then he shrugged. "Well, if you really haven't found anything, I guess it's time to RTC."

"I'll—"

"Wait, Ixta." When she glanced back at him, he was wearing an easy smile. "Let me write the report this time."

Axel knew that look on her face – she was going to ask why.

"Okay. Thanks, Axel. I'll RTC, then," she said, giving him a toothy smile, and disappeared into a Corridor.

That was odd. Ixta always asked what he was doing if it came up, especially because he'd told her she didn't have to 'act' around him and was open to any question she had (even the ones about his hair; there had been many). It was a better way to gauge her progress around the others – and to see if she'd noticed anything about them that he hadn't. They tended to be themselves around her because of her  _zombie_  status.

Still, who was he to complain about not being pestered for once? Giving another shrug, Axel opened a Corridor of his own.

Time for ice cream.

* * *

If Axel had thought it would end at that, he soon discovered just how wrong he was. Over the next week or so, Ixta began to act more and more... _normal_.

"She's much calmer these days, isn't she?" Marluxia remarked one day when they'd caught each other at the Grey Area.

"Yes," Luxord agreed. "Her smiling would have begun to unnerve me if I had a heart. I find this newer Ixta very agreeable."

"You mean she finally learned to shut up," Larxene laughed. "I guess that Keyblade master is more useful than we thought."

As her 'mentor,' Axel was concerned. Well, no, not really, but he knew her sudden change in attitude would raise red flags if he couldn't give a concrete reason for it. The two of them had maintained the same routine since before their visit to Castle Oblivion: he came to her room in the morning to check up on her, and she updated him on any progress she had with the new members. After that they were off on separate missions. Saïx never had time to go Heartless-hunting anymore, so Axel took his time getting back to the castle. He hadn't changed a thing – so why did Ixta?

She asked him fewer things and spoke even less. No more random observations about the other members or things that just happened to pop into her head while she reviewed memories. And when she did answer questions, she'd taken to wearing this troubled expression, staring at whoever asked, before saying anything.

That wasn't like her at all – she usually mouthed off whatever she was thinking – to Axel, at least. Now there were times that she didn't even respond.

Xigbar found it weird, too. "Bait isn't supposed to act like that," he snickered, watching Ixta and Lexaeus occasionally stare at one another in the Grey Area. "They're supposed to call attention to themselves. You sure you're doing this right, Flamesilocks?"

Not to mention the Assassins reported that she hadn't been around the castle lately, or that she often came home way after dark (so to speak). He hated to say that it took one to know one, but she had to be taking detours after missions.

Still, just like everyone else, Saïx didn't seem to mind. "She is finally acceptable, Axel," he'd said to him just yesterday. "Well done."

He guessed that was supposed to make him proud – but even if he had emotions, he didn't think it would. There was something suspicious about the whole thing, and he would just have to find out.

That evening, Saïx looked unhappy at the Grey Area. "A mission with XIII?" he repeated. "Why would I assign you that? Ixta is perfectly capable of taking care of herself."

"Surprising as that seems," Xigbar piped up, arms crossed under his head on the couch across VII. The Diviner ignored him and continued to look expectantly at the redhead.

"Hear me out," Axel insisted. "I'll take her to Castle Oblivion."

Xigbar's visible eye turned to him, and then the man sat up slowly. "Why's that?"

Axel yawned while he weighed the reasons in his mind. He could come out with the truth, but it was too much work to put up with Saïx's lectures about Ixta. Scratching his head and feigning a sheepish grin, he said, "Actually, I forgot to note it down in my report—the day we went there, she sensed something." He was planning to keep that tidbit of information to himself until operations started, but he'd thought over it and decided that Ixta would eventually let it slip to someone upon being prompted – if she hadn't already. Might as well put it to good use before it was common knowledge.

Xigbar and Saïx glanced at one another. "Sensed what?"

Axel shrugged. "I forgot. She couldn't explain what it was, either, so we brushed it off – but maybe it was something."

"So Lord Xemnas was right," Saïx murmured.

"I guess," Axel said, tone light as always.

Xigbar tutted, then laughed. "I was wondering why anyone would  _request_  for alone time with bait. I guess secrets  _do_ make friends, huh?" he grinned, glancing between the two of them.

Saïx said nothing except, "Very well, Axel. You will accompany her again tomorrow and see if she finds anything else. But what brought this on? It has been eleven days since your mission there."

"Don't know," Axel shrugged. "She's been acting weird lately, right? Who knows if it's the castle affecting something other than her memories?"

Xigbar crossed his right leg over his left, one arm thrown on the back of the couch. "If you think there's been a change, why not take Vexen along? Sounds like something he'd want to 'observe.'" He made air quotes as he said it.

"No," Saïx shook his head. "Until we have more to go on, I'd rather not  _inconvenience_  Number IV."

"I didn't know that word was synonymous with  _keeping him out of the loop_  these days," Xigbar gleefully remarked.

Finally, Saïx's golden eyes narrowed at Xigbar's. The older man only smiled in return.

Axel frowned. It wasn't like these two to butt heads – most of the time they stayed out of each other's way. Now that he thought of it, he hardly saw them interact, if ever. Not that it was ideal for Saïx to be doing this. Xigbar wasn't Number II for nothing – for now, at least.

"Anyway," he said, cracking his knuckles to get their attention, "it's just a hunch. I'll let Vexen know if there's more to it, Xigbar."

Saïx ceased his glaring only to nod at Axel.

Xigbar laughed. "All this from Ixta just irritating Xaldin less than usual? Careful, Axel. Someone might start to think you actually cared."

"Nah," he gave the Freeshooter a smirk of his own. "Just call me, uh...inquisitive."

* * *

Ixta was back to touching Castle Oblivion's walls on the morning that followed. She was quiet, looking to the doors on occasion as she crossed and uncrossed her arms. Axel didn't know what was blander at the moment – her or the castle.

"Aren't you curious about why we're back?" he asked.

She glanced at him, lips parting for a moment, and then stared a little more until she spoke. "Saïx already told me," she answered in a low voice. That was another thing – her general volume had gone down, like she was murmuring all the time. "You forgot to write what I sensed during our last mission here."

"Right," said Axel. She didn't even ramble anymore. It was like talking to a little Lexaeus. Actually, that was wrong. The Stalwart's default frown was more expressive than  _this_. "So... Anything?"

Silence. Was she really taking this long to think?

"No," she eventually said. "It's the same feeling. Power, but – I can't describe it."

"All right," Axel said immediately, pretending to sigh helplessly. "Nothing we can do about that. You can RTC if you like."

"I can?" she asked, then visibly stopped herself, head cocking sideward as she appeared to think something over. "Oh, I mean—" Her brows furrowed (par for the course these days), and she was quiet. After a beat, she nodded slowly. "...I will."

Axel resisted from shooting her a weird look and gave her a two-finger salute instead. "See ya."

She disappeared into her Corridor without another word. Axel waited a while, watching the darkness pulsate before him. When it shuddered and began to withdraw into itself once more, he slipped in and followed Ixta inside.

"...Huh."

The constant darkness, the flashing lights that decorated the town, and refugees as far as the eye could see – Traverse Town. Why hadn't this world crossed his mind?

Axel knew why. What with her smiling and spacing out, insisting that seeing her Other's brother was a bad idea for now, he had been so sure that Ixta was over the whole Sora business. When did she think it was okay to lie to him?

 _"Do as I say, not as I do_.  _Got it memorized?"_

_"Sure."_

Then again, he hadn't exactly given her parameters for hiding things from the others. She must have thought that lying to the Superior made it acceptable to lie to him, too.

Axel found that he didn't like the idea of that.

But now wasn't the time to dwell. Ixta had opened the Corridor at a dark corner next to the restaurant where they first found the Keyblade master. Sora wasn't there at present, but it was as packed as ever, still as dimly lit by the meagre candles it had. Next to it, the windows of an item shop shone brightly from the inside.

Where did she go?

He was tempted to call out a few Dusks when he spotted a hooded figure dart around the accessory shop in the middle of the First District.

"Gotcha."

The place bustled as always. It wasn't really like this in the other towns, but even after all these years, he still knew how to dart around a crowd. As soon as he saw her take the door to the Second District, he knew he had her. That area was still empty, which was why the First swarmed with refugees.

His eyes scanned the shops, the plaza below, and the hotel area. She wasn't in the immediate vicinity, but she made this almost too easy. Ixta had obviously been in a hurry – instead of finishing them off, she'd left paralyzed Soldier and Large Body Heartless in her wake.

Xaldin would have gotten into another fit if he saw it ( _such careless handiwork_ , he would scold), but Axel didn't mind breadcrumbs, and threw his chakram at the creatures before they could regain control of themselves. The trail led him to the alleyway behind the hotel, where boxes lay scattered across the small road leading to sewage. He knew this place – he was the one who'd taken the recon mission to map out this world a while back.

But last he remembered – and Axel had a pretty good memory – the gate to the sewers had always been closed. No reason to open them, right? He peered into the darkness, then down at the sewer water leading into its depths.

Axel sighed perfunctorily.

Well, why not? His boots were already dirty.

The path led to some dank cavern connecting into some structure built into it – a secret hideout? – but Axel didn't have to go very far before he saw Ixta close to the end of it. The light emanating from the structure showed him the silhouette of a girl standing waist-deep in water, head tilted to the right as she peered out at something from behind a natural pillar of rock.

"Hyah!" a man's grunt echoed back to them.

Curious, Axel waded further in. When Ixta didn't seem to sense him, he looked past the pillar and saw a man around his age. That definitely wasn't Sora. The Nobody squinted – long, dark brown hair, a scar across his face, a gunblade, way too many belts – and paused.

 _Squall_?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned into an Axel chapter toward the end, didn't it? We just thought it would be interesting to see how Axel views Ixta's 'changes' in personality whenever an idea gets into her head. Not that she is totally malleable - when Ixta does anything, it's for a reason. It's just all very confusing, especially to Axel, if she doesn't explain her reasoning. But hopefully you've gotten a clue as to why she suddenly changed her attitude halfway through the chapter!
> 
> We didn't want to make the scene with the Traverse Town team/SDG too long, but hopefully they were IC! For the little lines they had, anyway. We don't imagine that Sora, Donald and Goofy are best friends yet, but they (meaning Sora and Donald since Goofy is usually ok with everyone) probably get along when resting in Traverse Town and not fighting for their lives. We deliberately didn't explain what part of KH this is at this point because one of us is a genius and can't find our notes for which KH events corresponding to which scenes in the fic. It's not all that relevant until later on anyway. Hehe!
> 
> Also at this point, it may seem weird that Axel hid Ixta's 'sense' of the 'thing' (Ventus) in Castle Oblivion from Saïx. We know they're supposed to be close friends and that their friendship is something Axel is hanging onto by a thread, but Axel does have his own mind. He's loyal to Saïx, but sometimes they butt heads and Axel doesn't really -feel- the old friendship. It's just in Lea's personality to hang on which is why he does. So while he'll stick to their plan, he's also looking out for himself at this point. As you can see, he's even suspicious in the beginning and wonders if Saix concealed Ixta and Sora's connection from him. Unfortunately, Axel's curiosity gets the best of him and he uses the information to figure out where Ixta's been (though it's also to make sure Ixta isn't a threat to their plans; this is minor though. Ixta's too much of a zombie at the moment to present a threat). If you're wondering why he didn't just follow her, it's because Ixta's been losing her tail the past few days with the help of her Devouts (which is why no Dusks or Axel's Assassins have figured out that she's in Traverse Town), and Axel does have his own missions to complete. By the time he finishes them he doesn't really know where she's gone, and he won't tell the others like Saïx that she's missing because Saïx will just get annoyed about Axel losing what he perceives as their 'control' over Ixta.
> 
> In case you were wondering, Zexion named Ixta's staff Gorgoneion based on it being a "representation of a Gorgon's head" (as defined in the dictionary haha). The staff represents a Gorgon's head because according to myth, the blood from one (left?) side of a Gorgon's head is used as a healing elixir, while blood from the other (right?) side is lethal poison. Which is pretty much Ixta's deal!


	6. priorities

"Hyah!"

Steel sliced through the cold air wafting in from the waterway. The young man bearing the gunblade withdrew, displeased with his posture, but it would never show on his face. Taking a deep breath, he nodded, recomposing and bracing himself. Adjusting his stance, he raised—

"Leon!"

His thoughts stumbled—as did his grip—at the sound of footsteps hurtling down the stairs. He almost thought the boy on his way down to him had fallen until he realized there were two more descending in haste after him.

"Time to eat," said Sora, wearing a smug grin only a fourteen-year old Keyblade Master could get away with.

"Sora!" A duck appeared, looking frazzled as was his wont. A ninja landed on her feet behind them not long after.

"Hey!" Yuffie growled, arms akimbo in an attempt to look imposing. " _You_  need to rest. Keyblade master or not, you're still recovering from that last skirmish!"

"Yeah," Donald frowned. "Aerith spent a lot of energy healing you and Goofy. Are you going to let that go to waste?"

Sora reared his head with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Maybe  _you_ could heal us next time, Donald."

Red overcame the duck's features at that. "I said healing wasn't my specialty!"

"Either way," Yuffie insisted, "he's right. Get back up there, Sora!"

Leon glanced between his three new companions before turning to the Keyblade's chosen. The guilt had begun to settle into a pout on the boy's normally exuberant features. "I'll be right up," he promised. "Thanks, Sora."

His smile returned in full force. "No problem," he beamed, and glanced over at Donald before darting toward the stairs. "Race ya!"

"Hey! No fair!"

Yuffie laughed at the sight of Donald sputtering after Sora, and then winked back at Leon. "Not even a sigh? They  _are_  starting to grow on you."

"…Hm."

"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."

Leon glanced away. He wouldn't acknowledge it, least of all to Yuffie—she would badger him to no end  _and_ tell Aerith and Cid, even if he was certain Sora, Donald, and Goofy had similarly found a place in their routines, too.

Yuffie rolled her eyes, but looked amused as ever. "Well, I'm off for that meal. Make sure you come up before Cid comes storming down here."

"…Did he and Merlin make cookies again?"

Pursed lips. For all her teasing, Yuffie was the worst sport of them all. "I was  _not_ hallucinating about that girl!"

"Mmhmm."

The ninja disappeared with a glare and a huff. Leon had to admit it was pretty impressive, though it wasn't really his style. Sighing, he sheathed his gunblade and looked over at their makeshift training ground. Merlin's area was a better spot, but Sora's arrival had crowded it, and he didn't appreciate eyes on him while he tried to focus. Cid and the others had taken to hanging around there to watch Sora's progress, but when the kid wasn't around, they ended up commenting on everything Leon already knew was wrong with  _his_ technique instead.

Still, he was considering returning there. Lately, it almost felt like someone was … watching him.

He'd checked, of course. Figured it was another Heartless searching for the Keyblade, but there was nothing there. Just shadows and water playing with his imagination. Nerves, he guessed. Even he could admit that after nearly a decade, the memory of home still made his fists shake.

Another glance around the area. Nobody was there.

He turned and headed for the stairs.

* * *

Leon?

Why did they call him that? He wasn't a Nobody—Axel could tell. Must have been a personal thing. He hadn't even realized Squall had escaped. He'd been so concerned with staying hidden on his recon mission here that he forgot to pay attention to the locals...

A sigh from the girl before him reminded Axel exactly why that had changed.

"Why don't you just talk to the kid if you're so obsessed with him?"

The water splashed as Ixta whirled in shock—and Vanished.

"Oh no, you don't." Axel reached out and grabbed what felt like her shoulder. "Come on. Really? Undo the spell, Ixta."

The brunette reappeared. Even in the dim light of the cavern, he could see the blue eyes refusing to meet his gaze.

Her mentor regarded her for a split second. "Guilty as charged, huh? Follow me."

She said nothing and obeyed, trailing after him to the back alleys where his chakram made quick work of any Heartless that might get in their way. After that, the place fit right in with their own world. A little too much color compared to their usual palette, but bright and empty all the same.

Ixta, meanwhile, almost looked like he just kicked her puppy. Her eyes were downcast and her hands remained at her side. At least she wasn't making it worse by coming up with excuses. "You don't actually feel bad about getting caught, do you?"

She raised her head to him.

"Okay." He scratched the back of his head and approached the tables surrounding the back of the hotel, motioning for her to pull up a chair as he did. When she settled in across him, he shook his head. "Drop the  _strong, silent type_  act, Ixta. Answer the question."

"No."

Axel sighed. It dawned on him that the act had been getting on his nerves lately. Or it would have, anyway. "So why did you hide it?"

Ixta's eyes fell back to the gates leading to the waterway. "I had direct orders to desist from watching Sora. I didn't want to be punished."

"Who says you will be?" Axel shrugged. "This secret will be between the two of us—just like all our other secrets. You get that, right?"

She met his gaze again, measuring him, apparently—what went on in that head of hers was still a mystery to him. "Okay."

He clapped his hands together. "Great. So why the sewers? He your type? Long hair like Marluxia, huh?"

"No," she said, after thoughtful silence. "Or…I can't say for certain. My Other almost cried about a boy once, but I don't know what he looked like. At any rate, Sora cares for them."

Axel filed that away for future use. The interests of a girl he'd never met meant nothing to him, but years in the Organization had taught him that every detail mattered. "And…? As big sister's Nobody, you just  _happened_ to like watching them, too?"

"No."

"Then enlighten me, Ixta. The entire process, because I can't follow your logic," he pressed impatiently. It was more the necessity of this than anything else that almost irked him. Her face contorted—it was slight, but clear enough to him—into what seemed like discomfort at his prompt. "Something wrong?"

Her face reverted back to its neutral state as she shook her head. "Despite my orders not to see Sora, I decided to head for Traverse Town. My Other would have wanted it, and I knew well enough not to let him catch me. But one of the locals did—she said I reminded her of him and was taking me to see him."

"Ixta—"

"She didn't," she reassured Axel, knowing the alarm in his affected tone. "I Vanished as soon as she announced me—though she didn't know my name, so she couldn't have announced anyone. She then described me to Sora."

Axel groaned before she could say more, but found himself wanting her to. "And?"

"And he said nothing," was her disappointing answer.

"What?"

Ixta punctuated it with a shrug. "He asked for Kairi and Riku—as if…" She fell silent, lips pursed. Before the whole silent-treatment habit she'd picked up, Axel usually had to distract her as soon as he saw that pout; otherwise, if he wasn't quick enough, he had to brace himself for another stupid question.

"When an Other's heart is taken and a Nobody is formed, are memories of the Other belonging to their family and friends completely wiped away?"

Axel sat back in his seat at that. "Ah… No," he said, and realized that if he cared, he might have been sorry to say it. "I don't think so. Kairi and Riku," he repeated before she could react. Discomfort wasn't something he felt, not for a long time, but it still stirred where his heart should have been, and just knowing that made things unpleasant enough for him. "Those are his friends, right?"

"Yes. They were like younger siblings to my Other. Nothing like Sora, but—she knew them well. Though their whereabouts now aren't my concern."

"Oh," he remarked, suddenly recalling their conversation more than a week ago. Was that what she'd—? "Harsh."

"It's not harsh at all." As if reading his mind, she said, "You helped me understand why, Axel. It's because Sora's priorities are his friends, Kairi and Riku. And now he has new friends: Donald and Goofy, his companions from the restaurant that first day. Leon, Yuffie, and—Aerith, inhabitants of this town, and Cid and Merlin, two old men they frequently mention in conversation. They all know how to make Sora prioritize them."

"And you thought you would copy one of them to make Sora prioritize you."

"My Other," she corrected, in that same dead tone she'd spoken in for the last week and a half. "Yes. Leon seemed the easiest to imitate. He doesn't say much and we both have brown hair."

Axel thought it would be appropriate to bury his face in his hands. "No. I can see why—" he couldn't help letting out a suppressed sigh. "I can see why you thought about doing that, but do you even understand how weird that is? You're going back to being a zombie!"

"Why?" Ixta's voice didn't rise to meet his exasperation. She sat still in her chair, watching him with the expressionless visage of her first week as Number XIII. "I see no other way, Axel. Sora's priorities lie with his friends. If I want to bring him into the fold one day, I should act like one of his friends. Not Kairi or Riku. They're…irreplaceable," she nodded when she found the proper word. "But these new ones—"

"Look," Axel shook his head. Her calm demeanor should have settled him down, but he couldn't agree with her assessment. "There's gotta be a reason why your brother didn't react. We've got Dusks hiding all over the worlds still left, catching some of his progress. He's been through a lot for a kid—his sister slipping his mind  _once_ doesn't mean she isn't on his list of priorities. Maybe he doesn't trust his new friends and didn't want to ask about her."

"But he asked about Kairi and Riku."

Axel found she had a point.

Ixta thought that her superior's barrage of questions and arguments had finally ceased. It was wrong to even assail her logic—she had turned it over in her head more times than she could count, and this was the best course of action. "So you see—"

"Look at you," said Axel, suddenly wearing a grin. Ixta threw a glance over her shoulder—he had never shown anything more than acceptance of her decisions on pretending a heart—but nobody else was there. If he noticed, he didn't mention it. "Making progress."

"Progress?"

"The Ixta I knew a week ago wouldn't think about things this hard. Yeah, your process is a bit off—imitating someone else completely is just too far into creepy territory to be normal—but we can fix that. For now, you get a reward."

Ixta sat up straight. "What kind of reward?"

Axel grinned, cracking his fingers. "Oh, now you're paying attention?"

"Rewards are good," she nodded. "Well, unless the rewardee gets too spoiled."

"How often do you want a reward, then?"

"Would you trust a biased answer?"

Axel burst into laughter, sliding backward with his chair and heaving himself up against the table. "You're such a zombie it hurts. You gotta let go a little. Unclench that fist, huh?"

Following his actions, Ixta held her arm out to him and opened her palm. Axel lifted both brows at the sight, then shook his head and pressed down on her wrist until she lowered it back to her side. He jerked his head at a Corridor that unfolded itself to them. "Little too excited there, Ixta," he snorted. "Reward's this way."

* * *

The new world teemed with orange brick buildings that burned even brighter than their world's neon lights, or maybe it was the town's sun overhead to which she was no longer accustomed. One of its short structures cast a shadow over them, but Ixta still squinted as soon as she emerged from the darkness. To her odd surprise, the light didn't carry with it the scent of the ocean, or the sound of seagulls overhead, or the breath of the waves over the shore. Not the way it did from her Other's window at dusk.

"Ixta?"

Instead it was Axel she heard, and the bustle of a crowd buzzed not far from their wide alley. "I thought of my Other's home for a moment," she explained at once. "It was sunny there, too, but not  _this_  orange. Not until sunset."

"Makes sense—seeing as this is called Twilight Town," Axel nodded, proudly surveying the alley as though he were overlooking a kingdom. "You lived by a beach, right? I hear they have one here, too. Not the main attraction, though, if you ask me. That's through the town square."

Axel beckoned, heading for the exit toward the main street, until Ixta called out to him. "Wait. Vexen said we aren't supposed to reveal ourselves to locals."

"You telling me to do as you say, not as you do?" asked the redhead, but his amused features blunted his harsh scoff as he turned around, removing his gloves. "You're right, I guess—but that mostly applies to the coats. What do you think we're supposed to wear underneath these things?" Without much ceremony, Axel unzipped his jacket to reveal a simple, white v-neck shirt over his black pants and boots. Opening his arms in an expectant pose, he asked as if he already knew the answer, "What do you think? Not my color?"

Ixta gave him a once-over. "You're much more – filled-out than I imagined," she answered. "You look handsome."

Axel paused. She wouldn't have noticed it if she hadn't been watching him since the day she came into non-existence. And then he winked, erasing all uncertainty that he'd been flattered. Pretend flattered. "Don't go falling in love with me, now."

"I'll try."

_Now_  the redhead visibly gawked. "Did you just make a joke?"

"…I did," she murmured, fingers to her mouth as if she didn't remember saying it.

Axel combed bare fingers through his thick hair. This was as pleased as he had ever looked—even more than when he'd called himself a genius. "What is Saïx talking about? I'm a  _great_  teacher."

If Ixta could attribute her sudden mood for frivolity to anything, it would be to her clandestine visits to Sora, not Axel. Seeing him brought more and more memories to her, and it seemed like she was getting a better grasp of her Other's self thanks to them.

But as she opened her mouth, she saw clearly the glee on her babysitter-mentor's face. It was a feigned one, but she could hardly tell—and he  _had_ told her not to rain on people's parades all the time. Rule 5. She supposed he was a good enough example of pretending at his Other. So she said, "Yes. You are."

He gave her a curious glance, but his mirth didn't fade. "Now that that's settled, I'll go into town and get you a shirt if you want to come along to the marketplace… Probably best that you don't, though. I guess I should take you to the clocktower first—"

"No need," Ixta shook her head and promptly unzipped her own cloak to reveal her green crop top. Ixta had considered wearing the top she had worn upon her creation, but it seemed wrong. So she continued to wear this one. "It's similar to what my Other used to wear."

Axel paused, watching her with pursed lips. After a beat, he nodded his approval. "Nice job! All right, why don't you meet me at the Clocktower? Go ask for directions in town. You can manage that without attracting too much attention, right?"

It was a jab, but Ixta had thick skin. "Are you going to buy me cake?"

"…Cake? How do you figure?"

"You seem to be in a celebratory mood. On the islands, we had cakes to celebrate."

Her mentor chuckled at that. "Naw. But I guess you can call it your  _icing on the cake_."

"Because there's cake under the icing?"

"Under the—no, no," he sighed, quickly exasperated. Or quick to feign it. "Go to the clocktower, Ixta."

He disappeared into the dark after that, and Ixta clutched her cloak in her arms as she looked for someone to ask directions from. Hopefully nobody here had met her brother yet. It was a quick walk compared to the combing the Organization had her do for reconnaissance and mapping missions, but there was something about Twilight Town that felt different.

Ixta dwelt on the matter to the point that she found herself standing before a large crevice in the wall surrounding most of the marketplace. No one else seemed to notice it; or they were so accustomed to it that it meant nothing to them. That suited her just fine as she drew closer to the hole. It was dark, but sthe familiar smell of foliage greeted her as she peered. A forest.

Closer now, she felt it. A presence, but not the kind she could sense in the Organization's second castle. It wasn't hidden, but it was hiding. It made no sense to her and would have unsettled her, perhaps, if she were more than a Nobody. Beneath them – buried underground, perhaps? Like a Secret Place.

_She was bigger since her last visit, and the tunnel that used to hold all her hopes was now a mere crawlway. Parting the vines that barred her passage, she emerged into a cavern that never changed – save the vandalism on its walls and stones and floors. Two of the perpetrators were present, too. In fact, she was there to babysit them. The last but eldest of their trio she normally trusted enough to keep them safe, but he was sick._

_Eventually, as they always did, her eyes traveled to the door and lingered. That was something that never changed, either, and opened for no one. Not even very persistent knocking, or perhaps carving – not that anyone cared to try the latter. Somehow, any child or adult who came upon the door knew well enough not to touch it. Her body shivered in response at the very sight._

_Getting to her feet, a little redhead dusted her knees and marched closer to it._

_"Kairi."_

_The girl didn't stop, finding the space next to the door. Didn't anyone else feel it? She wanted to pick Kairi up and set her down by the mouth of the tunnel instead, but the girl's smile distracted her. "Hmm?"_

_"Over here." Her worry fell away to return the affection, and her hands tapped a small rock on her end of the cavern across the door. "This rock is getting lonely. No drawings on its face at all."_

_"Oh, no…" Kairi pursed her lips and marched determinedly to the rock, eagerly starting on it with the pebble on her hand. "Come on, Sora! Let's draw here."_

_To her surprise, her brother was already looking their way. Her way, to be precise. Big, true blue eyes looked up at her, wondering, but she doubted he understood what she felt. He was the most unflappable of their trio, after all, and she was happy for it. Worries were not for Sora._

_"Is something wrong, Tai?" he asked, even as he followed Kairi to his sister._

_"Nothing," she laughed, keeping her mirror gaze on him. She had lingered on the door long enough. "Now let me get a pebble and help you two out…"_

No. Not a Secret Place. That was much more sacred, infinitely more powerful than the presence that lay beyond the forest. Their only similarity was that they were hidden. Still…

"I  _knew_ I couldn't leave you alone. I've got half a mind not to give you this."

Ixta whirled in surprise for how close Axel's voice was. She felt nothing at his sudden arrival, but she had the sense to fall silent and look chastised. As chastised as a nonchalant stare might look, at least. "I was only curious. And distracted."

Axel only sighed, and then his exasperation whiplashed into a grin as he held up two crinkly ice cream plastics. "You know what these are, right? And oh yeah, about the forest – Larxene was the one who mapped this out. Said there was nothing but a ratty old mansion there, but feel free to check it out again on your own time. You know Saïx loves extra credit. Larxene might not appreciate her work getting reviewed, though. Your call."

"Right," was all Ixta said of his long explanation. She didn't know why she didn't think to tell him of the presence. Hadn't they just said they would share one another's secrets? But she doubted this was related to Sora or their goals. Whatever lay beyond the forest was its own business. Not to mention he was right about Larxene. She'd rather not come up against the woman if she didn't have to. "And that is ice cream."

"That's right – and this is yours," he grinned, letting her snatch the wrapped popsicle from his hand. "Now let's get to the clocktower before these melt."

* * *

The clocktower. They had one of those on the island, but it was in the town hall rather than the train station. That and neither Ixta nor her Other had ever sat on the ledge of one. Nor would she ever have let Sora climb such a height.

It was dusk – or maybe dawn? Her body clock said early afternoon, given the time Axel had come to take her to Castle Oblivion. A fresh breeze made their coats billow slightly over their boots, but it didn't wake her. She still felt nothing.

"Next time," Axel declared, snapping her out of her reverie, "when this isn't a reward, you're paying for your own ice cream."

Ixta shrugged. "Of course. On the island where my Other comes from, one buying another ice cream is a method of courtship."

Axel blinked. He blinked, and then his same-old smirk happily settled on his face. " _Right_. Let's not get confused about how us Nobodies feel about each other."

Ixta was silent. It was a joke, but she could think of nothing to respond with. Her mind was on the oddity that was Twilight Town.

Her companion didn't care, either. "What do you think?" he asked, taking a big bite off his popsicle. "Better than the ones from your island?" Based on what Larxene would call the dumb look on Ixta's face, Axel knew she was trying to remember in order to give him a proper answer. Ignoring her hesitation, the man pressed on. " _Anyway_ , this is my favorite."

"I don't remember what ice cream tastes like," Ixta answered belatedly. "But this isn't bad. Salty and sweet. Not bad."

Axel shook his head, murmuring, "That is sad."

"Do you often visit Twilight Town, Axel?"

Suddenly, Ixta was staring straight at him, contemplation replaced by that dogged curiosity. "Huh? Oh, yeah. This is where I take a break after all those  _grueling_ missions."

She considered it with a pause. "Is that why you always come home late and were never around to answer my questions about how I was supposed to act around the others, even if you promised to try to come home early? …I see," she asked and answered her own question in one breath without so much as a peep from Axel. "These were your priorities."

Axel froze, realizing his blunder, and turned to her slowly – but there was no judgment in her eyes. Only a question. "Guilty as charged," he chuckled, shoulders relaxing as his legs dangled over the edge.

"I would be upset if I had a heart," Ixta tried.

A laugh from him this time. "Hey, hey, fine. I promise not to stand you up again. Besides, now that you know about my secret place, I can't hide from you when you need something from me. I  _can_  trust you to keep this a secret, right?"

Ixta nodded. "We'll keep each other from getting Dusked."

"Right."

Neither of them was aware of how much time passed until Ixta realized that she was already gnawing on the popsicle stick in her fingers. Axel had long finished his, she saw – the stick was already tucked in the wrapper, ready for throwing. When her gaze lifted, his was ready to meet it.

"For what it's worth," he said, glancing to the perpetual sunset ahead, "I prefer you as your Other's Nobody. Not as Squall's. I mean,  _Leon_ 's." Axel feigned a shudder and laughed at the very idea. "What would  _that_  be like, anyway?"

"…Noxel. Nexol? Lexon? Ha…"

The two glanced at one another at that.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said, facing ahead, though he watched her from the corner of his eye. "Forgot you knew how to smile like that. Fits you better than the brooding, you know."

Ixta touched her face and realized that she  _was_  smiling. A residual reaction from her Other; one that she was finally getting in touch with to the point that it came naturally to her. Odd, since she only now realized that this situation would have greatly amused her Other. "Don't go falling in love with me, now."

This time, Axel responded with shock. "That's my line," he muttered, only to wink. "Well, I'll try. But first you need to come up with your own jokes."

Ixta's smile widened. She was pleased with her success. "But my delivery was good, right?"

Axel shoved her shoulder and laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get cocky."

* * *

It seemed Ixta had lost her inquisitive streak in favor of mutual secret-keeping; not that Axel minded. He still went to Twilight Town, and Ixta didn't necessarily follow – she still went to see Sora, he guessed, but at least she wasn't trying to copy Squall anymore – but that wasn't supposed to matter, right? As long as he corrected the little errors in her personality… whatever that was supposed to be. He would deal with that when it came.

For now, Axel was waiting in the Grey Area. Waiting to be  _alone_.

Really, that was all he wanted, but these two wouldn't even give him that. Larxene was at least ignoring him, book in hand, but next to her, Marluxia was staring at him from across the room.

Eventually, Axel put on a grin and met the man's gaze. Marluxia's expression didn't change – it was one of disdain, and Axel had no idea why. All he knew was that he wasn't going to let it slide, even if it meant taking a page out of Demyx's book.

" _So_ ," he started, loud enough to make Larxene quirk a brow in annoyance. "You two have been spending an awful lot of time together."

Marluxia gave a snort that didn't quite fit his  _elegant_  aura, as Ixta put it, and said nothing. Larxene, on the other hand, shot back a smirk, shutting her book and crossing her legs comfortably.

"Jealous? Why, Axel, I never knew you felt that way."

It was Axel's turn for incredulity. He wondered if he wished hard enough, a Corridor would eat these two right up. But that was impossible, and he looked to the window instead. A light was growing in the sky lately, past the city lights and the clouds. Kingdom Hearts?

"Are you just going to sit there looking like an idiot?" Larxene gave such a venomous giggle that it might've made his teeth clench if he cared. "Or maybe you're the one taking lessons from Ixta instead of the other way around."

"Now, Larxene," Marluxia reprimanded, with just enough levity to show that it was all jest. "I think you're interested in the wrong subject. It's Sora we should be discussing. He must be incredibly special if he remains the principal goal of someone without a heart."

The blonde's smirk didn't fade. "There's nothing special about that brat. Ixta's just deluding herself."

Marluxia's thoughts had run through his mind, too, but Axel didn't care to say so. He was happy to be edged out of the conversation he regretted starting.

"Axel."

Marluxia's voice was suddenly svelte, mellifluous, the kind he tried to use on Ixta. And it probably worked, given her opinion of the man. Well. No reason not to see what he wanted.

"Hmm?"

"Does the Superior know why Ixta is the way she is? He seemed to know that she was meant to emulate her Other long before we discovered the Keyblade's chosen and his identity. Didn't that strike you as odd?"

Axel's first instinct was to frown, but his Other had been nothing if not glib. Now in a more literal sense. "I never figured you for a gossip, Marluxia."

The man only tilted his head, leaving the question there. It didn't help that Axel had wondered the same thing, only for Saïx to brush him off.

Axel's helpless shrug gave him all the flippancy he needed. "Maybe the Superior has a sense for this kind of thing. He  _is_ the first among us, after all." The words tasted bitter on his mouth, but he didn't spit them out. After all, he didn't really care.

"I didn't figure you for fawning sycophant either, Axel," said Larxene.

The redhead managed a smile despite the obvious way he stiffened. "If you want answers, why don't you talk to Lord Xemnas himself? I'm sure a Dusk can always find him for you."

"We wouldn't want to disrupt his busy schedule," Marluxia swiftly answered. "But if you're ever curious, I'm certain we'd have an interesting discussion. I have a sense you're not quite the lackey you pretend to be."

Larxene made a little half-guffaw, half-titter in amusement. Axel just shook his head, ignoring the way his teeth gritted. "Yeah. Sure. I'll leave it to you two for now not to lick the Superior's boots, right?"

Silence.

Axel relished in their shock before he decided the sky wasn't worth this, and headed out of the Grey Area.

It wasn't long after when someone tumbled out of thin air and right into him. Demyx.

"Whoa!" Even the guy's pain was lazily expressed. "Oh, hey, Axel. Don't tell Ixta you saw me if she comes looking." It was more a plea than a favor he knew he could ask, which was just about right by Axel's standards. "Why did you have to turn her into the Organization bloodhound?"

"It's not really my fault she can sense you," he chuckled. As irritating as she'd gotten getting him into trouble, her getting everyone else into it too was always funny. "Blame her attribute."

It didn't seem like Saïx even needed Ixta's help finding IX. He swept into the hallway with his usual stern expression and directed it at Demyx. "I wouldn't worry about that, IX. Ixta took another mission immediately after reporting her last one. What have you to say for your activities today?"

Demyx muttered something under his breath before turning around. "I did a recon mission earlier this morning,  _boss_. I just don't have Ixta's willpower. Something I'll just have to live with, I guess," he said, and pretending to be sheepish at that. "Bye!"

With that, and another annoyed look shot at Axel when he turned around, IX disappeared into another Corridor. Demyx was surprisingly honest with him about Saïx.

Axel raised a brow. "Ixta went on another mission?"

Saïx nodded, hardly reacting to Demyx's escape. "Gathering materials for Vexen. She has her uses."

_Uses, right_ , Axel thought. As good as she was at playing bloodhound, Ixta was only using missions that came easily to her as an excuse to stalk Sora in Traverse Town. "…Yeah."

Saïx noted his delayed response. "Hesitation. You aren't pleased with your progress with XIII?"

Axel wondered if this was the part where he felt guilty. It didn't happen. With a shake of his head, he asked, "Wanna take care of some Heartless outside? Place must be teeming with 'em."

"Nonsense," said Saïx. "Should the Dusks fail, even the  _Dancers_  would be able to handle them. Or have the Dusks spoken of a new presence? They made no such report to me."

Axel wanted to groan, and didn't at the same time. "We just need to do a sweep. It'll be fun, y'know?"

Saïx watched him for a long time, furrowed brows measuring, and then he nodded. "Very well. As soon as I finish paperwork."

Axel watched him go with a sigh before deciding he'd had enough of walking around hallways. How Ixta had ever been able to stand not being able to use Corridors and bumping into every member of the Organization was beyond him. It was too late to make it to Twilight Town, but at least he had the kitchen. Stress eating was universal to all creatures, after all. Even if the stress part was pretend.

* * *

Ixta had learned her lesson. No more attempts to become another, however tempting, so she had diverted her attention from Leon and back to Sora in the week or so that followed her first trip to Twilight Town. Sora traveled the worlds far more often now, requiring more Devouts dedicated to following him. Traverse Town and a Coliseum were his only constant destinations.

He was participating in some sort of tournament in the latter world, and Ixta knew at once that her Other would not have approved. But she had just come from watching one of his matches today, and he certainly fought well enough. It was surprising with her Other's memories, but not to Ixta. The Keyblade's Chosen was naturally powerful, wasn't he?

At any rate, Ixta liked watching Sora, and she'd found a workaround to all her required missions so she could at least watch the tournament. Lately she'd learned to make good use of her ability to analyze not just living creatures, but materials, too. Outside Vexen's scanning machines, their components were known only to her. So she took Vexen's collection missions – several of them, in fact – and found a world teeming with Heartless. Despite the shadows that abounded there, it was a veritable gold mine for ingredients Vexen needed.

In that world stood two castles. One of them, elegant and exactly what her Other might imagine, watched over the abandoned city that surrounded it, and the other, consisting of several patchwork towers, lay across a valley filled with old debris.

"My liege."

A Devout shimmered before Ixta, crouched among today's collection of materials. She rose to meet its nonexistent gaze. "Yes?"

Ixta was in the world again that morning, as was her new custom – but there was something different today.

She raised a hand to the Nobody. "Wait."

It wasn't rare when she sensed powerful creatures all throughout this world. It made sense – it seemed home to the Heartless, and there were some that could match the more intelligent Nobodies blow for blow. That wasn't usually a problem for her because she had no heart, so the Heartless ignored her even when she wandered about them for as long as she didn't summon Gorgoneion.

But this sense was much more powerful than an ordinary Heartless. More powerful than even some in the Organization.

Instinct told her to run, but she held her ground. That sudden strength – two of them, surrounded by several others – came from the castle within the city. She never ventured there for the same reason she was going to it now: that was where the stronger signatures often came from. Elegant as it was, after all, the Heartless emblem was emblazoned on its face.

And this time, the signatures were too strong to ignore. As much as her survival instinct clawed at her insides, the thought that there might be a strength to equal Sora's and the Superior's unnerved her. She would at least make a reconnaissance report out of this.

* * *

Ignoring the Heartless crawling out of the walls, Ixta picked up the pace through the hallway. She was close, but a few of the creatures surrounding the signatures had already disappeared. That left only the two most powerful signatures that had given her pause, and one other.

She caught up with them close to the top of one of the castle tower. An open doorway led to a room where two silhouettes stood in the dim light.

"Silly boy," said a woman's voice, and Ixta slowed, cloaking herself with Vanish once more. "You're like a son to me. I only want you to be happy."

She took the lightest steps inside and stood close to the doorway. These weren't Heartless. This was…

"I seriously doubt that."

Riku.

His bright eyes were stark against the little light creeping into the room. A man in red with long, dark curls and a hook stood off to the side – he was so weak compared to the other two up close that Ixta had overlooked him – and next to the boy from the islands was the woman. She was a tall, elegant creature clad in a black robe, a long staff bearing a green jewel in hand.

"Believe what you wish," she shrugged, beautiful with green skin and the black horns she wore. "But lest we forget, I kept my end of the bargain."

Riku stared at her, unblinking, and approached the waiting man next to Ixta. Together, they disappeared into an open Corridor.

Ixta stared at the spot where the Corridor stood long after they left. Why did these people have access to Corridors? Were they Nobodies? Was Riku a Nobody? He was one of the two powerful signatures she had sensed. Her Other had never seen this in him, but then Tai didn't have the abilities she did. It was impossible for Xemnas not to have picked up on him somehow.

Did Sora know?

Before Ixta could dwell on it, she found herself leaping to the side, dodging a surge of lightning that made part of the wall crumble. The static of it stung her legs, and she winced, hands reaching down to heal them.

"Reveal yourself," the woman demanded coolly. She reminded her of Xemnas, all menacing silence and the cool ease of destruction. Well, Ixta had never seen their Superior in battle, but what she could sense was threat enough.

Ixta's Vanish fell, though she remained hooded as she rose to her feet. The woman's staff rested under her palm as if she had never used it.

"How have you come here?" the woman continued. "How did you avoid the Heartless roaming the castle?"

"Do you belong to an Organization of sorts? Of you, that man, the boy—?" As always, Ixta pursued her own train of thought. It was natural that the Nobodies had a sort of structured leadership, but she hadn't expected the Heartless to. "Do you control Heartless? That must be why they don't attack you, either. But I was taught they acted on instinct…"

" _Who_ taught you?" the woman's eyes narrowed. It appeared that neither of them was willing to answer questions.

"How did you come to know Riku?"

"The boy? A useful tool," the woman thought aloud. "Do you care for him, girl?"

"No," said Ixta. "What are your plans?"

The woman exhaled impatiently. "I will suffer no more of a trespasser's needless questions."

Ixta paused, eyeing the woman and her staff, and the small, domed room in which they stood. The castle below had taken some time to navigate. This was the woman's domain, and it wouldn't do to fight her and be captured or destroyed. "My mistake," she said then, nodding her head. "Your business is your own."

A pause of the woman's own, and then she laughed. "Now, now. Even the rabble deserves a warm welcome."

Ixta's brows furrowed at that, and they were right to. With a raise of the woman's free hand, several types of Heartless surrounded the Nobody. She recognized them from their Organization files – Neoshadows, a Wizard, Bookmasters, and little cone-shaped ones that flitted about like hornets and fired the most irritating elemental attacks.

"Make it quick," ordered the woman. "We're expecting a new princess."

Ixta heard the sound of a Corridor opening, but the squealing swarm of pouncing Heartless drowned them both. Gorgoneion appeared in her grip at once, but it was only enough to stave off the endless Neoshadows. The elementals nipped at her heels, elbows, hair, as they were wont when she allowed them to get past the sphere she was trained to create for herself using her staff.

The Neoshadows always worked together – one distracted while the others pounced, and Ixta knew well enough not to fall for it. She dodged an incoming neoshadow and rolled to the side, past the Wizard, which disappeared as soon as she came close. Her staff's three-pronged end met another Neoshadow that hurled past.

"That's it, then," she murmured. Using Bad Breath was always her last resort, because she avoided using too much of her magic. Little status effects usually did the trick, but that was when she was able to choose small groups of Heartless she could handle and strategize for. Then again, Vexen said her magic stores had increased considerably since her recruitment.

The deep breath, the long exhale – it came naturally to her now.

Having a book or four thrown at her, however, she'd never get used to.

Winded and bent over, Ixta glanced up at her opponents. The Neoshadows and the cone-shaped ones had stopped attacking, paralyzed and poisoned. The files had said Wizards and Bookmasters were immune to magic, but she had hoped that meant the solely elemental kind. She was wrong. Instead the Bookmasters doubled down on their attacks, and soon she saw lightning, fire, ice headed her way.

Ixta raised her free hand, bracing herself in case this didn't work. But it did, and the glowing green shield before Ixta dissipated as soon as their magic found her. A sigh of relief escaped her. She hadn't used that since her first encounter with Saïx.

The fire, spikes and jolts had reflected off her shield and found their way to their casters, ricocheting to the other Heartless. All except one – the Wizard, who stood far away with its winged sceptre raised.

She discovered why when she felt the dark looming over her.  _Gravity_. She scrambled to her feet, summoning fallen Gorgeoneion, but it was too quick. The sphere bore down on her, pressing her to the ground at first and then crushing her.

She grunted as she tried to crawl out to no avail. Ixta could feel every bit of her body breaking under the spell. She needed to escape to somewhere safe.

With a pained cry, the Nobody called out to a Corridor and fell inside.

_Tai!_

* * *

The Grey Area was silent, just the way Lexaeus liked it. Xaldin, too.

They had just begun to enjoy it when a Corridor of Darkness hissed open before them. Axel emerged, looking more frantic than his hair by their standards. XIII was unconscious in his arms.

Lexaeus rose to his feet. "What happened?"

"I was in…and then she…" Axel stumbled over his words, a first that made even Xaldin finally look. When they made eye contact, he finally came up with the lie. "She was outnumbered. I was somewhere else in the world scouting."

Lexaeus exhaled. "Take her to Vexen at once."

Suddenly next to him, Xigbar laughed. None of them had noticed his arrival. "You know, when there's bait around, you're supposed to make sure it doesn't go to waste when the fish bite."

"Ha ha," Axel dryly replied, and hopped into another Corridor.

His first portal had remained open; it was something Saïx always scolded him for. Waving it closed, Xaldin spat. "Pathetic."

* * *

Ixta didn't take long to wake up. And when she did, it was to excruciating pain. When she tried to rest her palm over her back, legs, body to ease the pain, Vexen smacked her hand away. In her state, he said, she was only going to hurt herself more. That had always been his policy, even before when she still trained with her fellow members.

"Vexen, what—"

"The same goes for speaking," the scientist snapped. "I keep you in the lab to ensure your survival, but that doesn't mean I'll tolerate any more of your questions."

Ixta's lips pressed together as she reluctantly swallowed her words. She supposed he was right. Talking only made her feel her wounds more sharply. She hadn't felt fear, but the white, sterile walls of the castle and its empty halls comforted her in a way. She was safe in this castle. Not like the castle in that other world. It was beautiful, and close to the top the light mist over it gave it an otherworldly glow, but she had almost been erased from nonexistence there.

By the Heartless and that woman. And Riku…

"…"

Her mouth opened again. She needed to tell them of that world. Ixta had never mentioned it to Vexen, because if he knew of the world's potential, he would ask her to gather as many materials as she could for his experiments. That would dry out her resources, requiring her to take more missions, and significantly reducing her free time to watch over Sora.

But Riku was involved. Little as Ixta cared for him, Sora was fighting Heartless, and a surprisingly powerful Riku was working with a woman who held sway over them. Something had to be done.

"Vexen—"

"What did I say?"

"I need to speak with Lord Xemnas."

Her oddly determined tone drew Vexen away from his desk, and he turned to her with a suspicious curl of his upper lip. "Why?"

"He should know about the woman who controls the Heartless. Her magic was incredibly powerful."

Vexen approached her and loomed, peering at her. "You're certain?"

"She summoned the Heartless against me, and was working with others. I think there may be another Organization."

"Where? Axel  _failed_  to mention what exactly your mission was."

"Axel?" Ixta asked aloud.

"Yes. What mission had you two taken?"

"…I…found a new world not in our files," Ixta deflected, clearing her throat as she came up with more to say. "But it was filled with Heartless, so I asked him to join me."

"And yet this was your mission's outcome."

Ixta stared up at Vexen without remorse. She knew her Other would have been ashamed, but there was no time to act it out. "I need to speak with Lord Xemnas."

With a little growl, Vexen snapped a Dusk into his laboratory. It slithered about Vexen as he gave it the order to find their Superior, then winked out of the room.

Vexen returned to his desk, and Ixta's gaze returned to the ceiling. There was something she was forgetting. It wasn't the woman, or the man with the hook, or Riku… It seemed as though there had been someone else there, but she couldn't remember.

A Corridor opened, and Xemnas appeared, followed by Saïx and Axel, oddly enough. Vexen stood, but only Axel's brows lifted in greeting when his gaze met hers. The rest were silent until they converged upon her.

"Ixta." Xemnas stared at her expectantly.

"Lord Xemnas," she said, groaning as she tried to sit up. Axel reached over and patted her shoulder twice, and she lay back down. "The world I… The world Axel and I visited. I'd never seen it before, and so I invited him. But…"

"The point, Ixta," Saïx interjected, but Xemnas raised his hand.

"Go on," he said, gravelly voice austere as always. Not kind like his words might sound. "Describe the place."

"It was an abandoned city filled with light and water – fountains, a lot of them – but only Heartless lived there. The castle within the city bore the Heartless emblem, where I sensed a strong presence or two.

Saïx's eyes narrowed, and Axel turned to look at him at once. "And you say Axel  _accompanied_ you there?" asked the former.

"Yes," she answered easily. Axel pursed his lips, a sign of disapproval, but she didn't understand why. She was only supporting the lie he had apparently told Vexen.

"Continue," said Xemnas.

"I ventured alone, up the castle, without Axel's knowledge. Most of the signatures left before I could see them, but there was a woman. She was powerful – tried to strike me with lightning, but even then I sensed her capability for a much wider range of magic. She answered none of my questions and summoned several formidable Heartless to destroy me before leaving through a Corridor. I couldn't tell if she was a Nobody."

The room was silent. Axel's eyes were trained to the wall, while Xemnas, Saïx, and Vexen all exchanged glances.

"That castle is known to me," Xemnas finally spoke. "Think on it no longer."

"But Lord Xemnas—"

"No longer," he repeated. "The witch is insignificant. Focus on your missions that we might sooner attain Kingdom Hearts."

He stared at her after that, a question of whether she had any more to say. Ixta only inclined her head.

When he disappeared, Vexen left for his desk again.

Saïx shook his head at Ixta. His expression was perpetually irked, but his sigh stressed his displeasure.

"How disappointing," he said, and turned to the redhead next to him. "She is well enough not to require Vexen's aid. Return her to her room, Axel, and resume her training tomorrow."

"Training?" Axel repeated. "She finished that months ago. She's  _fine_."

"Evidently not. Too many reconnaissance and collection missions have dulled her abilities. Training, tomorrow. Bring Lexaeus if you wish."

"I'd rather not," Axel muttered, but Saïx was already gone. VIII turned to Ixta with some exasperation.

"Axel—"

"If there's nothing else," Vexen called over from his desk, too busy writing to even look. "Goodbye."

Axel shot the man a dirty look behind his back, but scooped up Ixta nonetheless. "Goodbye," he mocked, and let a Corridor swallow them into Ixta's room.

He laid her on her bed, a little gentler for her wounds. It wouldn't have made a difference to Ixta, who was accustomed to Axel simply letting her roll off his arms months ago.

"What happened?" she asked, when she was supine on her covers again.

Axel had a hand to his hip. "You really don't remember?"

A stare from her said she wouldn't be asking if she did. "I only remember opening the Corridor. And…Sora," she realized, eyes widening slightly. "Yes. I heard his voice call my name."

"…That must have been me."

"No, he said my Other's name. It was—"

"Sora wasn't there. Saïx had the Dusks check as soon as we arrived, and he was in Olympus Coliseum."

Ixta supposed that made sense, but she didn't have to pretend to be pleased. "Then what happened?"

Axel peered at her for a beat before shrugging. "There I was, minding my own business in Twilight Town, when you fell injured from the sky. Weirdest Corridor placement I've seen, but not the point. You passed out pretty soon after, and I took you to Vexen."

Ixta considered his words with a hum – a new feature to a less zombie-like Nobody that Axel had noticed. "Everything I told the Superior was true, except your involvement. I don't understand why he would turn this information away. That woman's – witch's – presence wasn't a joke."

Axel held his breath for a moment, thinking. When his eyes fell on her again, it was with a shake of his head. "Don't bother with that world anymore. You'll only get yourself hurt."

"Isn't that why you're going to train me?" she asked, a tinge of pretend humor in her voice.

"I'm serious."

"So am I," she answered, paying no mind to the shift in his tone. She knew he didn't care, but it was odd that he seemed to mean it. "You really don't think this world is relevant to the Organization?"

His arms were crossed now, and it felt to Ixta like he was looming over her. Like he'd suddenly grown very big. "Look. The Superior said don't bother investigating that world again. Do you want to get Dusked?"

"He also told me not to watch Sora, but you didn't seem to mind disobeying that order. What am I missing?"

If Axel weren't himself, her slow, calm tone even when she rebelled – the one thing he'd wanted out of her all this time – would have unnerved him.

"Just trust me on this, all right? If the Superior says don't go back to the castle, don't."

If Ixta bought it, it didn't show. She only lay back down. "Training tomorrow, then?" Her eyes were to the window.

Axel could tell neither of them was going to budge on this. "Right."

He turned and left her room.


	7. green-eyed

If either of them had a propensity for holding grudges, neither said so.

Ixta slept through nearly all of the next day. She woke to a flurry of activity in her room halfway through it, but her eyelids were too gummy for her to stay conscious. That evening, Vexen dropped by to tell her she must be weaker than expected to require so much down time before finally giving her a potion and allowing her to rest again.

Her body seemed to recover the day after that – waking her early in the morning, as always. Her body still ached, but an advantage to her attribute was that open wounds often weren't a problem. It was the amount of energy that took that Vexen disliked.

Axel hadn't woken her, either. That was odd.

Breakfast wasn't often part of her days anymore. She found she liked eating between missions, eating cheap snacks from Twilight Town as she enjoyed the view in worlds her assignments took her. But she had time today, having expected to be up early for the session she missed with Axel yesterday. Without that, she found her way to the kitchen before eventually wandering to the Grey Area with a yawn.

Naturally, Larxene was about. What surprised her was that Marluxia wasn't with her.

Larxene didn't even turn her head – just glared at her out of the corner of her eye, as usual. "Where are you going?"

"Out." She wasn't copying Leon anymore, but her body ached too much to give a proper response. Besides, she figured her Other would have considered Larxene's manner rude.

As expected, the woman rolled her eyes. "Well, at least you're talking again. I heard you had a little  _accident_."

"I did. I made a mistake and I won't do it again."

Larxene gave a small laugh. "Oh, relax! Do I look like the Superior to you? No wonder Axel thinks you're no fun."

Ixta cocked her head. She couldn't divine what Larxene wanted today… She was never this friendly, if this could be considered that. And did Axel still say that about her? "Is there something I can help you with, Larxene?"

XII seemed to have been waiting for the question. "You're the Organization bloodhound, right? Does that mean you can find the Keyblade Master wherever you go? …Or should I call him  _baby brother_?"

The tone nicked at something red in Ixta's mind, but she brushed it away. "My orders were not to make contact with him until I'm more effective at acting like my Other."

"What?" Larxene tutted thrice. "That doesn't make sense. I think you're doing just fine playing sweet old Tai."

Ixta quirked a brow. Part of her almost felt genuinely inquisitive about where Larxene was taking this. The other part wanted to leave, quickly.

Luckily, she didn't have to decide. Zexion stepped out of a Corridor, giving them both the usual deadpan look from his visible eye – and then addressed Ixta. "We need to speak with Lexaeus. Will you find him and direct him to me, Ixta?"

"All right," she said easily. Shooting Larxene a polite smile, she made her exit.

Left in the Grey Area, an irritated Larxene and a nonchalant Zexion exchanged glances.

"Larxene. Idle as always."

"Zexion. Pretentious as ever."

With an almost-snort, Zexion took a seat on the other side of the room. Larxene herself got up, surprising the Schemer. Larxene wasn't one to be intimidated, though he gave no remark as she made her way out of the room.

Strange.

There was a reason for it – Marluxia emerged to meet her when she was out of earshot of the Grey Area. He looked similarly displeased. "That was…ineffective."

"Don't rush me," she snapped. "Obviously, Ixta is too stupid to fall for my charms, and too obedient to betray information. But she  _is_ close to Axel… He's one way we can get to her, if we have to. I say Axel would be more useful."

The annoyance on Marluxia's face remained. "I suppose we'll see."

* * *

It wasn't long or difficult before Ixta found Lexaeus. His level of raw strength was unlike any other, and he was still in the Dark City – on one of the castle balconies.

The giant peered down at the city, face stern as always. He didn't turn at her arrival.

"Hello, Lexaeus," she declared her presence, voice taking on a lighter tone. "Zexion asked me to find you."

"Why is that?"

"He didn't say."

Lexaeus turned to her now, and the low light from the castle softened his features. He regarded her quietly. "Were you alone when he found you?"

"I was with Larxene."

"…Then you should thank him."

"Why is that?"

"Do you find Larxene to be pleasant company?"

Ixta thought long and hard on his question. The word she came up with when she considered the woman's company was…

Uncomfortable.

"I guess not."

Lexaeus cocked his head as if to say  _there you have it_. If Ixta caught it, she didn't say so.

After a minute of silence, she asked, "Will you be returning to Zexion?"

"In a moment," the man grunted.

Now that she thought of the company of an Organization member, she couldn't help but think of his – and how it reminded her of Leon. She had once found it difficult to act with V because he was absolutely nothing like Sora. But she had settled into an easy rapport with him… If one could say that rapport could be built with the  _Taciturn Stalwart_.

She bore no feelings for him, but she never thought her Other might want to leave his presence. It was more than what she could say about most other members.

Now that her purpose had been served, Ixta blinked, as though she'd just awoken. She had been so myopic about speaking with Lexaeus that she failed to notice the presence of two other Organization members nearby. Powerful ones – Axel and Saïx.

That explained why he hadn't come for her that morning.

Lexaeus saw it. "You should be more aware of your surroundings. Tunnel vision will get you killed."

Ixta only nodded, leaning against the railing. VII and VIII were clearing out Heartless in the city, just as they had been the day she found them.

"Was there anything else?" asked Lexaeus.

Ixta looked up to meet his gaze. "I'm wondering why you were watching them."

Lexaeus emulated her leaning, eyes on the city again. "Watch, and speak your observations aloud."

Demyx had once begrudgingly stated that everything was a learning experience with Lexaeus. She tended to agree, so Ixta obeyed.

"Axel and Saïx are doing what we always do in training – have the Dusks lure powerful Heartless to their location and defeat them." After a pause, she added, "Saïx is more powerful. Is it because Axel hasn't been fighting lately? Then again, I've never seen him fight – save the day I met them. And he never trained me, given that he was my babysitter at the time… Not that his power is something to scoff at, but is what I sense simply his potential rather than skill? Compared to Saïx, he's lagging behind…"

Before Ixta could ramble on, Lexaeus shook his head. "Never underestimate your elders. Didn't you agree with my assessment that Demyx and Larxene exude the same strength?"

Ixta turned back to him. "You read my reports? …But according to my sense of them, Axel is lesser when it comes to strength. Why are you implying that he's stronger than my sense of him?"

"For your own survival," was all he answered. "Have you any other observations?"

Ixta shook her head.

Lexaeus looked disappointed – or, at the very least, the interest he feigned in speaking with her had disappeared as he opened a Corridor. "Often, the question is not what you see, but why. Come, now."

He entered his Corridor at that, leaving Ixta to take another look at the streets below. Axel and Saïx continued with another wave of Heartless, moving in tandem. They knew each other's moves well – something she was surprised to note in Saïx. He seemed almost as solitary as Lexaeus. But even Lexaeus had Zexion.

Did Saïx have Axel, then?

The thought put a dull, unpleasant ache in Ixta's chest. It didn't reach her, but she knew it was supposed to be there… And that she shouldn't be on the balcony any longer. It seemed like she was intruding upon something private.

For the first time, Ixta thought that she wanted to go home.

She shook the feeling – or almost feeling, wasn't it?

"Odd.  _Odd_ ," she verbalized, as if that would snap her out of it.

Unknowingly giving the fight below a withering glare, she stepped into the Corridor left by Lexaeus.

Just as she wondered why he hadn't closed it, she saw Zexion and Lexaeus with their arms crossed in the Grey Area.

"Hello," she greeted with her usual smile, any semblance of feeling from moments ago gone.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go," Zexion sighed.

Lexaeus gave her a nod, waiting for her to fall into step. He gave Xaldin, busy reading a book far from them, an acknowledging nod. It was returned with very little interest.

If she were to pretend to be her Other, Ixta would admit that she had disliked the change in schedule that morning. She and Axel were supposed to train, or at least meet before leaving for missions as they often did. She trusted him to keep her secrets, as she kept his… but now he was busy with Saïx.

Still, left alone, she found herself glad for the company of others in the Organization for a change.

* * *

Axel strolled into the Grey Area. He never saw Demyx there anymore – something about Marluxia and Larxene always  _skulking_ about there. And as whiny as the guy was, he was right. Those two were always there. Never in the kitchen, never in the city. Always in the Grey Area, watching everybody come and go. The only reason Saïx didn't scold them was because they were surprisingly adept at their missions.

So it was a shock to see the sitar player there now, strumming away and singing along, to Xaldin's clear aggravation. The book in his hand was now shut and on his lap, and he was staring at Demyx. IX was either oblivious or pretending not to notice.

Axel gave a small wave as he stepped out of the Corridor fully. "Hey, guys."

"Hey!" Demyx grinned. "Isn't it great when Larxene's not around? Listen to this, will ya?"

He began to sing the song Axel sometimes heard him playing at night next door, accompanied by his sitar. To the Nocturne's credit, his voice really was something. That instrument, though…

"Enough!" Xaldin growled.

Demyx glanced over his shoulder at the man, looking indignant. Almost snobbish. "Why? This is part of my training."

"In what way?" the Lancer gritted his teeth. "Are your clones more formidable the worse you play?"

Demyx squinted. " _Maybe_."

How he was unfazed by Xaldin, Axel couldn't tell. Demyx had a strange sense of courage. Or maybe stupidity. "Anyway," he said, trying to regain control of the conversation—

"Let me guess," Demyx singsonged. "Looking for Ixta?"

Axel made a face. "Is it that obvious?"

"I mean, Xigbar mentioned Saïx put you back on bloodhound duty. I really thought she was getting better… Even if she's a snitch."

"Xigbar. Of course."

"Don't blame him," Xaldin huffed. "I was given to understand that  _you_  were her sitter, Axel. Shouldn't you know? And  _close_ that Corridor. Are you now as careless as your ward?"

"Okay. Thanks anyway," Axel said, tone laced with boredom as he waved the portal shut. He wasn't going to bother trading insults today, much less suffer Xaldin's ire. It usually amused him, but his body was aching from fighting Heartless all morning. He'd felt – or his Other would have – that he needed the outlet after his conversation with Ixta the night before. As much as he wanted her not to be such a lapdog to Xemnas, he didn't want her to rebel against  _him_ , too.

"Aw, you're no fun," Demyx laughed. "Apparently, Zexion mentioned wanting to test a new theory on Ixta with Lexaeus today. Didn't he run it by you?"

* * *

When Axel appeared in Saïx's room, the Diviner was patching his arm up from a particularly nasty scrape. Seemed they were both too prideful to seek help from Vexen. Ixta would have done, but she'd never healed him after a session before. He and Saïx hadn't really gone out to fight Heartless since her joining.

"Axel." The question was in his frown.

"Can't find Ixta," he confessed.

"That's ridiculous. She should have been waiting for you at the Grey Area. Lord Xemnas told her to stay away—but have you sent Assassins to Hollow Bastion?"

"First thing I did," said Axel. "Got what I needed from Demyx in the end. She ran off with Zexion and Lexaeus."

"Lexaeus is harmless. But Zexion…"

Axel shook his head. "I mean, whose idea was it to call that kid the Cloaked Schemer, anyway? Dead giveaway."

Saïx didn't care to feign amusement. "If he has deigned to spend time with Ixta, he must have something planned."

"Hasn't Xemnas told you anything?"

"No." Saïx finished his bandaging and glared up at Axel. "Had you not insisted on this impromptu training session, you could have been with her now."

Axel pretended to be affronted. "I don't know. Seems like you needed it if one of them actually got a strike in."

The glare sharpened, but Saïx gave him that. They had all become complacent of late, with the Keyblade Master starting to fill the moon above the castle. "In any case—"

A knock on the door interrupted him. "My liege," a Nobody eerily begged passage.

"Enter."

Perpetually slouched, an Assassin opened the door. "We have found them."

Its two superiors exchanged glances. Axel sighed. "I'll go see what's going on…"

"And I will uncover this plot."

Members of the Organization were starting to choose allies among each other, that was for sure… And allies necessitated enemies. But Axel was one step ahead of them. He'd known whose side he was on since before he even joined the Organization – and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

Axel disappeared in a wave of darkness.

* * *

He hated Deep Jungle.

Of all the worlds Zexion could have chosen, why did it have to be the one where everything was attracted to his red hair? Not that mosquitoes could get past his coat – but having to bat everything away every few minutes was starting to drive him crazy.

Especially near the water. One of his Assassins led him to the bank of the widest river he'd ever seen, where he could hear a waterfall crashing in the distance. To be fair, the sight was otherworldly. Mist over the water, vivid colors in the trees... But he wasn't here for otherworldly.

"Oof!" Down along the river, a girl ran into the shallow end of the water, chased by a troop of Heartless that looked peculiarly like monkeys. Powerwilds – and a small Heartless Axel could barely spot whizzing around for its speed.

He was here for  _that_.

"No magic," Lexaeus barked, standing by the bank. "Use Gorgoneion!"

Ixta was surrounded. And worse yet, the Powerwilds were beginning to swarm, grabbing at her coat. Axel knew her well enough to predict that she would have used Bad Breath if she could, but she was trapped. His eyes were on Lexaeus, who stood still and did nothing to help her. Zexion was nowhere in sight.

That survival instinct should have surged in Ixta by then, but she obeyed Lexaeus's order and used no magic. She could paralyze them all, if not use Bad Breath, but that apparently wasn't the point of this exercise. Swinging and thrusting Gorgoneion, she did her best to keep the Powerwilds away, only to start running back to shore out of nowhere.

"What is she doing…?" Axel muttered. Was Saïx right? Was she just getting worse with fighting nowadays? It was one thing to have her reflexes slowed by her injuries the other day, but running back and forth again?

Her impromptu plan was revealed soon enough. As soon as she touched dry land, she turned and smacked that tiny Heartless Axel had seen with the blade of her trident. It ricocheted into the river, sending out a powerful shock that seized the Powerwilds and fried them into nothingness. The small Heartless itself lay in the water.

Ixta hurled Gorgoneion in her hand at the Black Ballade – this time pinning it dead with the prongs of her weapon.

It dissipated with a huff, and Ixta fell to a crouch in relief. Or exhaustion, since she couldn't feel the former. After some time, she turned to Lexaeus, who approached. Her expression was one that sought approval.

Axel would have found it irritating. If he cared.

"…Unexpected, and not how I intended practice for you to proceed. I assume Zexion's suspicions were correct."

Ixta rose to her feet, banishing Gorgoneion with a nod. "He was right. I sensed that the Heartless was preparing an attack – and given that its attribute was lightning, I thought leading the Powerwilds to the water might help."

"So it did. But that was reckless."

"Isn't all fighting reckless?"

Lexaeus paused. Hidden nearby, Axel was shocked too. Talking like that to someone like Lexaeus? For someone like Ixta? That was practically backtalk. He expected the man to summon his axe sword and teach her that his point was to learn her weapon by pretty much annihilating her in battle again – but the Stalwart didn't move an inch.

"And that is why we train – to maximize proficiency and minimize any chance an opponent may have to strike back. Understood?"

"…Understood."

"Sit." Lexaeus motioned to the spot where she stood, and took her side when she obeyed.

Axel felt like he was in some alternate universe. He'd never seen Ixta so quiet, or Lexaeus so accommodating.

When Ixta finished healing the scrapes she suffered from the fight, she paid closer attention to Lexaeus. He was staring at her. "What is it?"

Lexaeus took a while to respond. "Tell me about the world you found when you were injured."

"Lord Xemnas told me not to speak of it anymore. Even Axel agreed."

That second statement seemed to catch his attention. "Axel agreed?"

She nodded.

"And what do you know of Axel?"

"Why do you ask?"

Lexaeus inclined his head, giving her that it was a fair question. "You are one of the few straightforward members of the Organization – I will give you honesty. Axel is not to be trusted. He is not loyal to the Organization."

Ixta's brows furrowed. "How do you know?"

Lexaeus was immovable as always. "You've spent countless hours with him. Don't you realize it?"

Ixta reflected the man's blank expression, even when Axel's memories told him he should have been waiting with bated breath for her answer. "He seems like a slacker. That's all," she said. "Like Demyx, but more effective. Maybe he clings to his demeanor because that is what he remembers of his Other."

"I suppose you are not incorrect. Nor would you be unlike him in that respect. Do you think, then, that Axel is worthy of trust?"

Ixta paused. Axel struggled to stay silent while crouching in a position where he could see Ixta's face. Even when he knew it would betray nothing, some instinct in him wanted him to look at her as she spoke of him. Would she betray him, now that she had the ability to keep secrets?

"He has never given me reason to believe otherwise."

Lexaeus cocked his head at her, and that was the only semblance of emotion she would get out of him. "Very well. We will discuss this another time. In your next mission, you must work on training you to choose your fight over your flight response."

"What do you mean?"

"You could have used your battle with that so-called witch to learn your limit break – a powerful attack you can access only when you are in mortal danger, as Zexion should have explained before. Instead… you took a portal away." If Lexaeus felt anything more about blaming her for choosing survival, he said nothing. But what did Axel expect? Definitely not kindness. "You must have two," he continued. "Because your ability has two faces. One to heal, and one to destroy—aren't you curious about the outer limits of your power? The limit breaks I have seen of our members have so far been brilliant."

"…I would rather not be in a similar situation again, even if it's to learn two brilliant maneuvers."

The man only shook his head. "That is the nature of our non-existence—to always live in danger." With those words, he peered at Ixta intently. Axel wondered if he was seeing things. "Remember that you are never safe, Ixta. You must always watch your back."

Ixta's brows were the pinnacle of confusion. "What about the Organization?"

Lexaeus regarded her with something more indecipherable than just intent. "We will not always be present to correct your mistakes. And one day, your mistakes may cost you."

Ixta was quiet for some time. And then—and then—Axel rubbed his eyes twice to check if he was seeing right. She placed a hand on Lexaeus's arm. "Thank you," she said.

What shocked Axel more was that Lexaeus didn't swat her away. The remnant of some part of him wanted to recoil in disgust – or something – but he was nothing if not thorough. He wanted to see this through. Whatever it was supposed to be.

Eventually, it was Ixta who withdrew her hand, when she got up to open a Corridor. "I should file my report to Saïx, then."

Lexaeus followed her to his feet. "Very well."

"I'll see you later, Lexaeus. Thank you for the training session."

"You're welcome. Goodbye, Ixta. And—" Lexaeus paused, the darkness already undulating at his feet. "Stay out of trouble."

"I'll try," she grinned.

"Hmm."

To an outsider, most of the exchange would have been wooden. And it still was to Axel, but knowing those two, it was as warm as they could get… and that little smile at the end? That just plain rubbed him the wrong way.

No, it didn't. It  _would_ have. That was all.

Right?

* * *

Right.

And yet he was at Ixta's door at the earliest he'd ever been the next day, with five successive knocks and two final raps. Of course, it was only because he had to listen to Saïx chew him out about it yesterday.

Seconds later, he heard a  _thud_ on the floor, and then the sound of shuffling. Eventually, the door opened to reveal Ixta in her green crop top and dark leggings. "Good morning, Axel."

Her hair was a mess, but nothing in her tone suggested she'd rushed to get to the door. Typical Ixta.

He frowned. "Didn't we agree not to let the others see you without your cloak? You're not supposed to wear clothes like your Other had."

Ixta's gaze wandered upward, as though thinking. When it found its way back to him, she punctuated the show with a shrug. "I knew it was you. Nobody else knocks the way you do."

"Whatever." For some reason, remembering what he'd seen yesterday, Axel didn't want to deal with her. He didn't know why – she hadn't betrayed him, right? "Put on your cloak so we can go."

He turned his back on her and started down the hallway, waiting a little for Ixta to rush back inside and then catch up with him, still zipping herself up. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"Twilight Town," he answered easily.

"We shouldn't risk getting caught fighting by the locals there," Ixta disagreed, stopping in her tracks.

Axel let her, just to give her an incredulous stare. "Fighting? An entire day with Lexaeus and you still want to go training?"

"I was almost killed by Heartless. In a concerted effort by them, but still… who knows if we'll encounter that witch again?" It was a real question. "You saw my performance yesterday."

He blinked. "You knew I was there?"

"I sensed you nearby. It's a new skill Zexion helped me learn—you are especially weak to water, and surprisingly, ice. You also have incredible magical potential – something you share with members who have elemental attributes. It's what gives you such endurance."

The displeasure of having to hear about his weaknesses was offset by that last compliment, so he let it go. "Right. Tell me about the new skill—after we get to Twilight Town. This is all making me hungry."

* * *

"Do you always eat sea salt ice cream for breakfast?"

They were on the clocktower now. Ixta had visited Axel sometimes after her missions, before her little run-in with the witch in Hollow Bastion, but she only ate ice cream depending on her mood. Something about saving her hard-earned munny for when she really needed it. What did a Nobody need to save for, anyway?

Today, Axel managed to convince her to buy one for herself. What was wrong with a little icing on her Learning a New Ability cake, right?

Ixta was peeling the plastic off her popsicle while he had already begun to eat. Axel had never seen the sun rise in Twilight Town – he wondered if it was even the sunrise, or maybe just the perpetual twilight here. Like perpetual nighttime back in the city.

"Not always. Sometimes I take Xigbar's leftovers. Say what you want about him, but the guy's a great cook," he shrugged, then glanced over at Ixta. "Wanna tell me about Zexion's little lesson?"

Ixta nodded, folding the wrapper and shoving it into her pocket. "Zexion realized that if I can gauge the strength of a creature and the attributes of certain objects, then I should be able to sense attributes in various creatures, too – the way he can sense the darkness in them. And he was right," she answered with a slight smile. "Small wonder that the Superior favors him. Saïx likes him, too. He's very intelligent."

Axel watched Ixta from the corner of his eye. "You think so?"

Ixta nodded. "I think my Other would have liked him. He taught me to use a Corridor, after all. Even with everything I said to him, he continues to help me develop my skills for the Organization's sake. And he's observant."

"Observant, huh?"

"Yes. He knew that Larxene's company was…not pleasant to me. And he remedied that."

Axel wasn't a stranger to Zexion. The guy wasn't as doggedly determined to please the Superior the way Saïx was, because he was just that naturally good at everything he did. It was annoying – even though, come to think of it, Zexion had never really offended him personally. His sass was often reserved for Xigbar, and when wasn't  _that_  justifiable? For all his being a know-it-all, Zexion was actually pretty okay. It was understandable that Ixta – or her Other – might like him.

For some reason, knowing that didn't endear Zexion to Axel.

"Did he, now."

"Yes. Lexaeus implied it – and I realized he was right."

Axel knew Ixta meant for that to be a point of pride for her than for Zexion – that after all her flubs in her first month of nonexistence, she understood nuance now. That she wasn't a zombie anymore, copying men his age to possibly make Sora care about her. But the statement only made him want to roll his eyes.

Instead, he took a bite out of his ice cream. Not something he often did, crushing the popsicle between his teeth. "Getting pretty close to Lexaeus these days."

"I think my Other would like him, too. He seems dependable. And he looks out for me."

"He's probably faking it," Axel answered offhandedly. "I've only ever seen Lexaeus act that way for Zexion. Then again, the two of you  _are_ the youngest in the Organization. Makes sense."

"Well, yes, but he doesn't have to fake it. That's what makes it nice. I never would have thought I could think of Lexaeus that way."

Finally Axel turned on Ixta with a smirk on his face. "All right. Technically, I'm still your sitter, so I'll tell you—since you don't seem to get it. Lexaeus was nice to you because he wanted you to believe him when he told you not to trust me. It's simple, really."

Ixta didn't look surprised that he had heard that – she had known, after all, that Axel was there. Instead, her brows were furrowed. It unnerved Axel how concerned that made her look. Like she was actually offended for the big guy. "I don't believe Lexaeus would feign emotion to get a point across. He was nice to me because he wanted to be, and he says what he thinks regardless of that."

"Jeez, Ixta…" Axel gave into the temptation to roll his eyes and sighed. "It's like I didn't teach you anything."

"You taught me to make the other Organization members like me. I haven't accomplished that with many others, but Zexion and Lexaeus seem to tolerate me well enough. I don't understand what the problem is. Why don't you like Lexaeus?"

"Because he—" If there was ever a time Axel thought his Other would raise his voice, it was now. But Axel didn't, because he didn't care. He was just getting caught up in whatever echoes of emotion his Other once had – and he caught it just before he ran away with it. As for Ixta… He was starting to think pissing people off was part of her attribute. She was certainly managing it on him now.

Letting his shoulders slump, he only shook his head. "Would you trust Lexaeus if you knew he told  _me_  not to trust  _you_?"

Ixta paused. "No."

Axel gestured at her as if to say 'there you go.' "Your relationships with other members don't exist in a vacuum, Ixta. I thought you knew that already. I don't have to like Lexaeus to work with him, but you should be careful about who you accept information from."

She cocked her head at him, taking a lick of her ice cream. "So I should trust you instead of Lexaeus?"

"I'm not going to tell you what to think, Ixta.  _Do_ you trust me? After what Lexaeus said?"

"Does it matter?"

Axel felt his eyes squint. Things always felt distant as a Nobody – the mind remembering things that were the province of the heart, Vexen had once said. And he'd laughed at that, even if he understood. But this was a different kind of distance. It wasn't a distance imposed by his heartless nonexistence, but a distance he sought from the feeling – the memory of the feeling that kept trying to overtake him when she asked that question.

"Not really," he said, in that same noncommittal tone, as though it would give him that.

On Ixta's part, the question wasn't a flippant one. She meant what she asked, and she didn't know that it mattered to him. Still, his strange, almost sulking response was so unlike Axel that she knew her own had been a mistake.

"Axel," she said, looking at him.

Her mind was racing to find an answer. Feigning emotion made her uneasy when it came to Axel. When did this change occur? With the other members, it meant nothing when they poked fun at her for trying too hard. Nowadays they didn't, given that she often kept to herself and was more effective at mimicking acceptable behavior, but Axel knew her. With Axel, now, suddenly, there was an expectation of…doing better. In the end, his opinion should mean nothing, but she didn't want to look stupid before him.

Not when he could so easily replace her with Saïx. Or had she just been Saïx's replacement while he was busy? She didn't know what to think after the display Lexaeus had shown her yesterday.

She just wanted to be valuable.

Ixta took his hand.

Axel looked down at her small grip on him. He didn't withdraw it, but he didn't move a muscle. How long had it been since anyone tried that?

The truth was, no one had ever tried that before. It was a strange sensation and he didn't quite know what to do.

"I do trust you," said Ixta. "Even if it doesn't matter."

By now, Axel knew Ixta had enough practice sounding earnest. Hadn't she pulled that off with Lexaeus yesterday? Was that was this was, too?

He wanted to think it wasn't. And Axel didn't want to dwell on what that meant for him right now.

A smile was tugging at the corner of his mouth as his eyes flitted to Ixta. Before it could reveal itself, he reached out for the bottom of her ice cream – taking a scoop of what would have dripped down her glove.

"Your ice cream's melting."

Ixta blinked, withdrawing her hand to gesture at his. "So is yours."

Unlike hers, the blue popsicle in his hand was already melting all over his glove. "Oh, jeez!" He lifted it to his mouth to save it, only for it to slip, practically jump right out of his hand—

_Splat!_

"Ow!"

Far below, a boy with curly, dirty blond hair yelped as an unfinished ice cream stick bounced off his head. His friends, a boy in red and a girl in orange rushed over to him in half-glee, half-shock.

Ixta withdrew her legs from the edge of the clocktower at once, eyes wide and lips forming an amusing 'o.' Axel did the same.

"Maybe," she began, "we should RTC for now."

Axel found himself laughing. Nothing really weighed him down as a Nobody – but he felt strangely light now, watching Ixta angle herself over the Corridor he opened. "Way ahead of you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Symbolism. LOL 
> 
> Aaaand we're back! Kind of? Elis here as usual. We've (especially Nit) been working on this update for a million years. Sorry to disappoint, but it does move things along! Ixta needed some down time after that crazy encounter with Maleficent (and so did we apparently. So sorry...).
> 
> It's only been a while since Xigbar last appeared, but I personally miss seeing him around. Senna hates him though. Idk. The KH3 trailer made me Xigbar thirsty again. (Too bad he's not going to be a friend here. Like. At all. Heh.) This chapter also reveals a little bit about what Tai was like, if you look hard enough. (Actually, a lot of Ixta's quirks do that - because Tai was repressed as all hell.)
> 
> WHO IS HYPED FOR KH3? I think we all cried when we watched the latest trailer together. We honestly have this video in our heads of how the opening cinematic would go if it were about Ixta for every opening song (Simple and Clean, Sanctuary, and Face My Fears), and my goodness Face My Fears is the most emotional one yet!
> 
> And for everyone who added burgeoning replacements to your bookmarks and gave us a kudos, thank you so much! We'd love to hear from you, whether on reviews or PMs. See you soon!


	8. deviations

After the first time Axel showed Ixta his spot in Twilight Town, she had only occasionally visited.

Now that they were stuck together for missions—or rather, now that Axel was tasked with keeping her away from Zexion, Ixta had become a constant in his Twilight Town wind-downs.

It wasn't too bad. It was the missions that were starting to get tedious.

Sitting back into his chair, Axel looked at the piece of paper in his hand. "Collection mission  _again_? What gives? I thought I was supposed to be training Ixta."

"Do so on your spare time," said Saïx. "For now, this is the priority."

"What's so important that Vexen's got her working overtime?"

"Nothing worth mentioning yet. Which is why you should get to work."

"I mean," Axel scoffed, "if it's so important that it's got the Superior's stamp of approval, then Zexion's gotta know about it, too, right? Maybe I'll ask him."

He didn't know why he had to make that jab, but he did. On Saïx's part, he took the insult—narrowing his eyes with what was almost fury. Axel didn't know if he was supposed to be happy to see that.

"Without the correct materials, this will all be for naught. All you must do is ensure that Ixta stays on track. We don't want a repeat of… Hollow Bastion."

"Right. Don't think I didn't notice that we stopped baiting Heartless around everywhere when she ran into the wicked witch."

"The witch," Saïx began, "will play her part, as we have ours. Now it's time for the girl to complete the collection missions. Trust me, Axel."

"While I'm kept in the dark? I think you'd call that stupidity."

Saïx only exhaled through his nose.

"All right, all right." Axel raised his hands in surrender. "Might as well tell her yourself. Let's go."

* * *

The Grey Area was strangely lively that morning. Usually, Marluxia and Larxene had the run of the place, but they had been off tending XI's garden lately and so the others swept in during their absence.

Ixta put down her cards, a small, pleased grin forming on her mouth.

"Straight flush? I hate playing with you," Demyx whined, throwing the rest of his cards on the table. "How am I supposed to beat a zombie?"

"Axel says I don't seem like a zombie anymore," she replied.

"He means you have a hell of a poker face. Not bad," Luxord remarked, "But not good enough. Royal flush."

He showed his own hand, winking his victory at them. Ixta sighed, and Demyx continued to sulk, muttering something while glaring at nothing.

Shutting his book, Zexion left his place across Lexaeus to approach the trio from the couch over. "Don't you three have any missions today?" He asked with a strangely docile tone. He was curious.

"I should," Ixta thought aloud. "But I haven't seen Axel today, and I'm not supposed to go without him."

Zexion and Lexaeus exchanged glances at that.

"And what's wrong with taking a break every now and again, anyway?" Demyx said, suddenly completely over the game he'd humiliatingly lost. "If we keep going without breaks, we'll eventually end up like Ixta and then need a nanny." He elbowed Luxord next to him. "Right?"

"Perhaps, but I wouldn't say it's in the cards."

"Ughhh."

"It's important to note the difference between 'every now and again' and 'every other day,' however," Lexaeus said. His eyes were now back on his own book.

"Don't  _you_ have a mission to do?" Demyx muttered, wrinkling his nose.

By now Luxord had gathered all his cards and reshuffled them. "You're welcome to join us if you'd like, Zexion."

"Oh." VI blinked. "Well, I admit I've never gotten the chance to learn or to play."

Ixta looked up at that and patted the seat next to her twice. "I'd forgotten the rules, but Luxord taught me again. And I've already almost beaten Demyx twice."

"Not a herculean task, but a win all the same," Luxord grinned. Demyx pointedly rolled his eyes.

Zexion glanced between Ixta and the two across her. "…Very well," he said, taking her side. "How is this all done?"

"Lexaeus, do you want to play?" asked Ixta.

"Thank you, but no."

"Figures," Demyx harrumphed.

Luxord snorted in amusement, and then turned to Zexion. "To begin, I'm going to deal each of us five cards. And then—"

" _What_  is going on here?"

Demyx glanced over his shoulder to look at the new arrivals: Saïx, and Axel strolling into the room behind him. "We actually managed to get  _Zexion_ to try playing poker." He turned to Ixta and pointed to VII. "Try _him_  next."

Saïx snarled, but so low that it was barely audible.

"My fault. I woke up late." Axel scratched the back of his head, and then patted Ixta's shoulder. "Let's get going."

Ixta looked around the couch and gave an apologetic shrug as she got to her feet. "Maybe next time, everyone."

"Heh." Opening a Corridor, Axel sent a cheeky grin their way. "Good luck, Demyx. Maybe you can get one over Zexion.  _If_ he tries to lose."

"Hey!"

"Bye!" Axel laughed, heading in. Ixta waved at the rest before she followed.

Saïx looked even more irritated watching them go. "Playing around first thing in the morning does not serve your purpose in the Organization."

"What  _is_ our purpose these days?" Demyx challenged. "I mean, there's only so many worlds to recon now that we've had Heartless feed on so many."

To everyone's surprise, Saïx only paused. And then he frowned. "I expected better of you, Zexion. All of you, get back to work."

The Schemer didn't look at all chastised, but responded politely all the same. "All right."

"You heard the boss," Luxord muttered, gathering the cards he had already dealt out. "I can teach you after dinner if you're still interested, Zexion."

"I am."

Demyx sighed audibly. "See you around."

One by one, each of the players disappeared with a wave of pulsating darkness until only Lexaeus was left with Number VII. Saïx glanced over at him, and the look was returned with an undaunted one.

Eventually, it was Lexaeus who broke the silence with a grunt. Soon the darkness swallowed him, too.

* * *

If Axel disliked Deep Jungle, Ixta hated Agrabah.

The sand constantly buffeted her face and found its way into her boots. How did that even work? They were zipped up to her shins, which were covered by her cloak! It was nothing like her Other's love for the sand and the beach and watching the waves come and go.

Unfortunately, this was the best place to find whatever it was Vexen needed today.

While Ixta collected the materials, handing them to a Devout to carry, Axel stood around and was, suffice to say, playing bodyguard. Sometimes, a more powerful Heartless wandered by, looking for hearts, and he dispatched it to ease the boredom.

It was a slow day. And a hot one, too. They had removed their cloaks and laid them on a nearby boulder, where Axel sat as he watched his ward.

"So what's Sora like?"

Crouched in the sand in her green crop top and Organization-issue pants and boots, Ixta looked up. "Huh?"

"What's Sora like?" he repeated. "We're gonna have to take him into the fold one day, right? So I'm gonna have to know how to deal with him."

"Hmm…" Ixta didn't realize it, but she was smiling. "Sora is—naïve. It can be frustrating at times. It was. He sees the best in people, where my Other didn't. I find it difficult to imagine that he would destroy Heartless, or anyone, so easily. It's not like him."

"You make him sound like a helpless kid. The Dusks have him in sight most of the time, you know. He's defeated some pretty strong people in those Coliseum matches."

"I watched one of the tournaments."

"Oh ho," Axel started to chuckle. "So you  _have_  been going behind my back. Wasn't it tiring to stay Vanished the whole time?"

"It was harder to keep from entering the match. My Other's memories told me to starting screaming for him to stop."

"Did you?"

Ixta gave Axel an indignant look that made the man proud. Getting to her feet, she dusted off her pants. "No. My Other may not have known it, but  _I_  know that Sora is more than just a child. He's the Keyblade Master. As I said before… his potential rivals that of Lord Xemnas."

"Right. But I already knew that," said Axel, yawning. "Tell me something else!"

"Hmm… He doesn't like being treated like a child. Taunting him is very easy… but my Other never did that."

"Dedicated in life as in nothingness, huh?" Axel remarked.

"In a sense…"

"What else?"

Ixta appeared to think, and then her shoulders slumped. "He's not the type to like being alone. His friends are… very important to him."

That made Axel look at her. He knew what she was thinking. Riku and Kairi, and that ragtag group of refugees in Traverse Town.

Well. No more ragtag than the Organization. At least Squall and most of his friends had managed to stay together and keep their hearts to themselves.

Ixta was quiet again.

"Hey," Axel called, leaning against the boulder where their cloaks lay. "You lived on a beach before, right?"

Dismissing the Devout waiting on her, she approached him. "An island. Why do you ask?"

"You any good at swimming?"

Ixta quirked a brow. "My Other was an excellent swimmer, but I haven't tried as a Nobody…"

Axel grinned at the wary curiosity in her voice. "All right. I might have something for us to do at some point." Reaching into his cloak, he whipped out two small, fat test tubes. "I swiped these from Vexen's lab."

That inquisitive part of her made her blue eyes sparkle. "What do these do?" She reached out for them, and he let her take one.

"Some kind of serum… tonic thing. It's supposed to help us survive an underwater world called Atlantica. Way, way under the sea."

Ixta inspected her tube, which contained a deep green liquid. "Did Vexen say these were ready for testing?"

Axel laughed. "Is the Killing Nostrum  _actually_ showing fear? Or foresight?"

That struck something like pride in Ixta. Her instinct told her that her Other would never have acted on such an easy taunt—she had suffered more silliness from Sora and Riku and her own friends and never let the pride or anger get the best of her.

Tai, she meant. Not herself. Tai always wanted to give the appearance of maturity. Ixta understood that innately, somehow, listening to Axel's taunt, looking at his almost-sneer.

Tai would never take the bait. But Ixta wanted to—and besides, she had a feeling that it would humor Axel if she did.

"I'm not afraid," she huffed. "I could very likely dispel the magic if it came down to that... I think."

"That's what Vexen said. He just hasn't had the time to test—hey! Wait!" Axel reached out, trying to grab the test tube from her. "We're only supposed to take these right before we—"

It was too late. Ixta had uncorked the test tube and knocked it back. She had the gall to make a disgusted face as she downed it.

"Damn it," Axel groaned, and drank his own as he summoned a Corridor.

* * *

The transformation was strange, to say the least. Ixta started out feeling like wanting to vomit, only for the nausea to subside into a tingling in her feet. Soon they became numb, and she turned with urgency to Axel—who grabbed her and took her into the Corridor before her knees gave way.

If the darkness was cold, the bottom of the ocean was even colder. Ixta covered her mouth and her nose, feeling her lungs start to flutter with lack of air—but only for a second. After a moment of sputtering, squeezing her eyes shut, she felt… fine. Her hands flew to her chest, preparing to suffer for the water she'd inhaled, only for nothing to happen.

"I'm breathing," she murmured to herself. "I'm—Axel!"

He was floating not far from her, hands similarly over his mouth. She was about to swim to him, only to witness exactly what had just happened to her: a strange light surrounded his body, and suddenly… He was half-naked. Half-naked with a long, deep-red tail where his legs had been, and small, spiked finlets from his waist to the end of his tail.

When the magic of the serum faded, he opened his eyes and blinked. "Huh…" he looked over himself, tail moving every which way, and then his gaze found its way to her.

"Ixta," he called, and swam closer. "That actually worked!"

"You mean you weren't sure?"

His eyes widened, caught—and then he frowned. "Well, it was available for testing, right? Besides—I didn't tell you to drink it yet!"

Ixta shrugged, and then finally gave herself a look, too. Her own tail was a deep green, with long, winglike fins on each side below her waist. She was also wearing a strapless bra made of two coral-colored seashells.

When she glanced up, Axel was watching her with a wide-eyed expression.

"What?"

He stopped gawking to shake his head. "What? Nothing. What's with those fins?" Axel reached over to gesture at her extra fins.

Ixta gingerly touched them and found that she felt it. "I think we're each supposed to be some manner of fish… This looks familiar, but I don't remember what I would be."

"That so?" Axel flicked his tail and laughed as he did a somersault before her."Hey, I'm pretty good at this! Island girl, right? What kind of fish am I?"

"Hmm…" Ixta crossed her arms and gave him a once-over. Her eyes lingered on his chest, but in the end focused on his tail. It would have irked her Other that using her tail didn't come to her as naturally as it did Axel. "I recognize those spikes along your tail… I think you're a tuna."

"A tuna?" Axel made a face. "Of all the sea creatures I've ever read about—I'm a tuna!?"

"Don't say that. Tuna are tasty. I—or my Other. My Other liked tuna. So did Sora."

Axel seemed to relax at her words, but he kept the irritated expression. "Island food. Amazing. Anyway, speaking of which… there's a reason we came here."

"What's that?"

"Uhh…" Axel squinted his eyes, and then sighed. "Don't think I thought this through."

He snapped his bare fingers, and a Nobody that looked like a small jellyfish appeared. He muttered something to it and it spun in the water, looking almost gleeful. Seeing the question in Ixta's eyes, Axel shrugged. "Dusks reported that there were Heartless here. Figured if there were aquatic Heartless, there'd be aquatic Nobodies, too. Come on." He turned to the Nobody. "Lead the way."

* * *

The small Nobody led them through narrow underwater caverns and past a great old shipwreck until they were floating in front of a great, swirling pillar of water. Inside, she could sense a few powerful creatures—one of them weakening, and the other, incredibly powerful…

Ixta's head whipped in Axel's direction. "Sora. What are we doing here?"

"I guess it's for the best that we came here now. Looks like they're squaring up. More than that, even." Before she could ask, Axel held out his hand, and another Corridor swallowed them whole.

They emerged within the frightening torrent, which revealed something even more terrifying: a woman who must have been half the size of the castle back at the World That Never Was. Wielding a majestic golden trident, she had violet skin and a golden crown over her white hair. Not to mention tentacles where Ixta expected legs, though at this point she should have already known better.

"What is  _that_?"

"A witch. Not yours," Axel said, eyes to the woman. "A sea witch. The one helping bring Heartless into this world."

Her gaze followed his upward, higher within the torrent where Sora and his friends emerged from behind the witch's crown, casting spells or charging at her while avoiding her attacks.

One narrowly missed them, in fact. "She's preparing a—a thunder spell. Move!" Ixta grabbed Axel's arm and pushed, propelling them forward right as a flash of lightning lashed in jagged lines from above, striking where they once stood.

"Yikes! "How does that even—Ixta!" Axel grabbed her bare wrist before she could dart forward, and she turned on him with a frown. He didn't release her even as she tried to yank her arm back.

"My Other would want me to protect him against that creature."

"No!" Axel said in a furious whisper. "Can't you sense it? I don't have your abilities, and even I can tell she's on her last legs." He paused, hearing his own words. "Heh."

Ixta replied with a deadpan look, but he was right. This woman was the creature whose life she felt failing. And as if on cue, the sea witch let out a devastated wail.

"Noooooooo!" she screamed, right as Sora dealt the final blow.

A grimace overcame Ixta's features as she watched the darkness devour what was left of the sea witch. Axel shook his head with the same expression. "That's what happens when you give yourself to the darkness. When it's done with you…"

"You become nothing," Ixta murmured. "…What does that make us?"

Axel looked over to her. He really shouldn't have been surprised—he would never forget that inquisitive phase of hers—but he found that he was. He was about to attempt a wry response when she grabbed his wrist, and then she was out of sight.

So was he, he realized, when he looked down at his hand and saw nothing, even when he felt her touch.

He found out why soon enough. Sora was suddenly swimming toward them, head turning left and right as he searched the area. By now the torrent of water had ceased and the sea was calm again, and behind Sora a red-haired mermaid held the golden trident in her hands. But what had Axel's attention was the uncanny resemblance between the boy and Ixta. Sure, Ixta's features were softer, more mature, pretty, but the eyes, and that worried expression…

"Sora?" the duck asked. Except right now, he had octopus legs despite his anatine head. Axel was confused. So was the duck. "What's wrong?"

"I thought I…" Sora trailed off, sighing and then turning back to his friends with a smile. "Just my imagination! Let's go."

Axel waited for Sora and his friends to swim away. When they were out of sight and earshot, he finally winced audibly, tapping at Ixta's fingers with his free hand. "Ixta, you're crushing me."

"Sorry," she exhaled, releasing him, and as she did the Vanish fell away from them both. "That was unexpected."

Axel kneaded at his wrist, stretching it and watching her. "Sorry about that. Didn't think we'd end up that close to the kid."

Ixta met his gaze. "Why did you take me here?"

"…I don't really know," he shrugged. "I had the potions in hand for a while and Dusks handed me the report this morning. Probably by mistake. Figured I'd use it all for something."

It wasn't an answer and they both knew it, but Ixta didn't question it. "Thank you."

Axel glanced away. He didn't understand much of what was happening; only knew that he was very tempted to disappear again. But even if he tried to, he wouldn't be able to.

Ixta was hugging him. At least, it was the definition of a hug. Her arms were wrapped around him, chest pressed to his, and the side of her cheek rested against his collarbone.

For Ixta, it  _was_  a hug. Not something familiar to her based on her Other's memories… It was impossible, because Tai always wanted to give the appearance of composure. Seeking another's embrace was unthinkable.

So this memory of hugging someone – however nonexistent he should be – was new for this body. She found that Axel was surprisingly warm, even when he was supposed to be cold-blooded.

Ixta also found that despite the fact that her Other would never have done this, it was something Tai would have needed. She knew that innately.

"Sora looked right through me," Ixta expressed. As she spoke those words, the place where her heart should have been swelled with the ache that had filled her when she first discovered Sora and his friends in Traverse Town. "It was my doing. But even then my body hurts. I know I don't care… but it hurts having to hide."

Axel understood, to a point. The anger that should have brimmed in him when Saïx dismissed him, treated him like a pawn, showed how little he cared for their former connection – even if he didn't care – it made his fists clench and his chest ache. The pain came from somewhere deep, felt like a memory he could actually touch instead of just imagine—but before he could, it became shallow again. Fake. And then it left him.

But Axel understood, even if he didn't know what to say. Slowly, he put his arms around her in return.

Ixta knew that tears wanted to come, but they didn't. As soon as the emotion came, right as she thought they might reach the surface… they ebbed away, out of her reach again.

She pulled away, that perfunctory smile on her face. "Let's go."

Axel nodded, and Ixta opened the Corridor this time.

* * *

Soon enough, they were back on the clocktower, winding down after what had felt like a long day. The whole ordeal had enervated Axel, who opted to go for ice cream, as expected. Ixta, meanwhile, had been struck by a distinct lack of appetite this time.

They were quiet, watching the sunset until Ixta clicked her tongue.

Axel turned to her, already finished with his popsicle. "What?"

"I forgot to touch your hair while it was wet," she sighed while removing her glove. Her bare finger pointed down to the city. "What's that?"

"Huh?"

Ixta reached for Axel's hair as he glanced down, only for his free hand to catch hers midair. He turned on her with a grin.

"Come on, Ixta.  _I_ taught you that. It might work on Vexen, but not on me. I'm not easily distracted."

She pressed her lips together in a line to express disappointment. "You mean you're no fun."

"That's my line," Axel laughed, wagging his ice cream stick at her. "You're gonna have to try a little harder to learn the secrets of my hair."

"Ugh." Ixta wrinkled her nose, watching him from the corner of her eye. "When I first met you, I never thought you would be so ridiculous. Hair secrets, of all things…"

"And you're less of a zombie than I expected, but that's probably 'cause I'm such a great teacher."

Axel grinned, all toothy and triumphant. He expected her to scoff, but she only laughed.

"Well, try not to get too predictable,  _sir_ ," she said. "Hmm. Maybe I will go get some ice cream." Her smile was wide again, and her eyes crinkled at him before turning back toward the sunset.

His gaze lingered.

* * *

Saïx sat in his room, going over reports—Vexen's in particular. It was finally time to move forward with their plans, given the state of the moon above their castle. Often he sat in the Grey Area where other members could hand in their reports, but he had retired early for this reason.

So a knock on the door surprised him. It couldn't be Axel, who had not been speaking to him of late other than to mention that he was indeed keeping Ixta away from Zexion and occasionally Lexaeus... Besides, he never bothered to knock. And the Dusks always announced themselves.

Getting to his feet, he opened the door himself. Looking up at him was XIII, with that usual disarming smile on her face.

"Ixta. What are you doing here?" he asked. "You look…strangely unkempt."

"Oh?" Ixta reached up and patted down her hair. "I'm sorry. There was a storm in Agrabah, and… I just came by to give you this."

She whipped something out from behind her: a piece of paper she had neglected to give him earlier. Her report.

"Ah." He took it and would have closed the door, had she not been giving him an expectant look of her own. "Is there something else, XIII?"

Ixta met his gaze unflinchingly. He wondered if this was a reveal of her true nature as a Nobody – that she truly feared nothing, not even him – or if this was an imitation of her Other, who might not fear him. In any case, he disliked it.

She continued to search his face, and he thought she might ask about his scars again. "Do you know Axel very well, Saïx?"

A flash of the memory of anger struck him at that. "What?"

"Never mind. I'm sorry I asked," she said, inclining her head. Before he could respond, ask her how it was her business, she stepped back into a Corridor.

Saïx slammed the door behind him as he returned to his desk.

What had Axel been telling her? Had he told anyone else? He seemed friends enough with Demyx at times…

Taking a seat, he let out a huff of air and shook his head. He had other, more important matters to attend to. His eyes fell to the new piece of paper on his desk.

Ixta's report on Agrabah, with handwriting almost as neat as Zexion's… and blue stains.

Ice cream stains.

Saïx crumpled the report, crushing it in his grip until his fingers dug into his palm, and went back to work.

* * *

There was an urgency to Sora's actions lately. Ixta didn't know what happened to him, but Devout reports said he had entered the Hercules Cup in Olympus Coliseum almost reluctantly. She made it just in time to watch his first match, only to realize…

She used to watch him out of her Other's desire to be near Sora, of her own need to regain memories, but now? The thought of watching him fight was unbearable, or at least it would have been. Just the inkling that she should feel that way made her uncomfortable. It was now instinct to either stop him or leave, and she knew she couldn't do the former.

So Ixta left at once, returning to the castle with what would have been a breath of relief.

"Ixta!"

An enthusiastic greeting took that away from her. She stiffened, only to relax slightly at the sight of Xigbar. He was entering an empty Grey Area, though he seemed like he had meant to find her.

"Where's Axel?" he asked before she could respond.

"Um…" Ixta hesitated. Axel had given her the day off, knowing that the Hercules Cup was ongoing. They agreed to go to Twilight Town afterward, but she wasn't sure where he had gone. "I don't know."

"That's strange. You guys are as attached to the hip as Mother Nature and  _Larxene_  lately."

Ixta shook her head, not quite sure what to say. "Why were you looking for him?"

He shrugged. "Plans are moving along. Gotta make sure he's ready for what's coming."

"What's coming?" she asked. Reminiscent of her earlier self, she added, "Why Axel?"

Xigbar was being patient today, it seemed, because he happily answered without the sarcasm or taunting she had come to expect. "You'll find out soon enough. And  _Axel_ because he's a fighter first and foremost. Right? So he should be put to use that way. Unless…"

He disappeared, and Ixta took a step back. She felt his presence behind her and turned—he was looking down at her, his face incredibly close. " _You_  would like to spar with me," he said, voice suddenly deep and raspy. It sent something rushing through her—discomfort, or what would have been that. She knew him well enough now to understand that it was a threat.

"No thank you," she said. She hadn't forgotten all the times she had been forced to spar with him for her initial training. In hindsight, those were really one-sided battles than anything more.

Xigbar stepped back with a bark of laughter. "I know. You're not made of the same stuff as the others," he said. So much for a lack of taunting that afternoon.

"Don't give me that look," he rolled his good eye. "You've got something the others don't have—that cute little nose of yours. How about you sniff your babysitter out for me?"

Ixta covered her nose before he could reach over and flick at it. "I'll do that," she said quickly. However lively Xigbar could be, his company was something she had never considered pleasant.

But before she could, Vexen strode into the Grey Area, shaking his head. His expression was one that tutted at them both without him even clicking his tongue. "None of that, Xigbar. Unfortunately, I need to speak with Ixta."

"Sooner than I thought," II chuckled.

"What is it about, Vexen?" Ixta asked.

"Ixta," said another voice, its owner stepping out of tendrils of darkness. "Ready for our..."

Axel stopped, blinking at Vexen and Xigbar before he looked at her. He continued to speak, hardly missing a beat. "…next mission?"

" _Actually_ ," Xigbar grinned, "I was thinking you and I should get some training in together."

"Training?" Axel quirked a brow. "Why? Need some pointers, old man?"

"As if," Xigbar scoffed, then waved his hand. "Nah, it's all right. I understand if you're too busy… or scared."

Behind them, Vexen groaned. Ixta glanced between the two fighters in confusion. It was clearly just a taunt by Xigbar, and not something Axel would fall for. This was something Riku and Sora or their other friends would start sparring about. Not two grown men…

Or so she thought.

"Ha!" Axel snorted, summoning his chakram and tossing one up in the air before catching it. "As  _if_ , right? First one out of the ring loses."

Xigbar grinned. "Sometimes I forget I like you, Flamesilocks."

"Don't get used to it."

"Never do. Hey Ixta," Xigbar smacked her shoulder, "why don't you come and watch your babysitter get a beatdown?"

"Xigbar, are you getting delusional from all the warping you've been doing?" Axel asked. "Is that why Vexen's here? Impromptu checkup?"

"I'm glad  _somebody_  finally asked, and I'm disappointed that it had to be Axel," Vexen re-announced his presence, lip curled as he stepped forward. "No. I am here to collect Ixta."

"Ixta, come with us," Xigbar insisted. "Vexen, you can learn something from this, too."

"Ridiculous," Vexen grumbled. "Very early on, we determined that her abilities were better geared toward support than offense. What would she have to learn from watching you that she didn't already when you kept shooting her within an inch of her life months ago?"

If Ixta cared about all this, she might have turned red in embarrassment. As it stood, she only wanted to leave the room.

"I dunno, Vexen," Xigbar singsonged. "Think about it this way. It'll be good to have Ixta around to nurse Axel when I wipe the floor with him. And don't you want to see the guy finally kiss the ground you walk on?"

"What makes you think that's ever gonna happen?" Axel laughed. "Endurance, Xigbar. That's my secret."

"Really?" Xigbar grinned. "Pretty sure you're still wet behind the ears. Or have you been sparring with Ixta in secret?"

The man waggled his eyebrows, and to Ixta's curiosity, Axel seemed taken aback. "What? No!" he exclaimed.

"It's true," said Ixta. "Vexen's had me on collection missions, so we never have the time to spar."

Xigbar burst into laughter. At that point, Axel had regained his composure and was rolling his eyes. Ixta didn't understand what was so funny, and Vexen looked annoyed.

"Disgusting and unnecessary. Ixta, come along," he decided.

"No," Xigbar said slowly. "We need an audience.  _Come along_ , Vexen."

Vexen stiffened, lips set in a line. "Are you pulling rank, Xigbar?"

The man shrugged. "I'm just saying… It'll be educational for you, too. Come on."

Vexen glared, but inclined his head. "Very well."

* * *

"Come out, come out, Xigbar!" Axel grinned, his chakram twirling about in one hand.

Xigbar appeared behind him. "You summoned?"

Axel whirled even before he heard his voice and blocked Xigbar's attack with one chakram. The other floated before his hand, spinning at his side until he swung his right arm and threw it in the air.

"You weren't even two feet from me and you missed?" Xigbar laughed, blipping out of sight and reappearing far to the side. Raising one of his arrowguns, he fired a few rounds at Axel, who barely just leapt out of the way. "Come on, Axel!"

Axel hissed at the shots still burning in his coat. "Relax," he grinned, staying on his feet and holding his hand outstretched. "Gotta wait for it to pick up steam, you know?"

Still spinning wildly in the air, the chakram was engulfed in flames as it hurtled toward Xigbar.

"Whoa!" The Freeshooter yelped and warped from his spot, prompting the chakram to return to its master.

Axel let out a chuckle, only to grunt when Xigbar appeared behind him and pointed a sharp barrel to his forehead. "Damn!" He ducked just in time, lunging forward with a flaming weapon. But he only headbutted the air as his opponent disappeared again.

A battle between Xigbar and Axel was difficult to track mainly because they were both so fast. Xigbar naturally zipped around wherever he wanted to, even without shifting landscapes, and Axel's reflexes were fast enough to counter most of his attacks. His long range chakram came in handy, too. Ixta supposed she  _had_ at least learned how to follow their movements some during her sparring with the Freeshooter.

It took some time for Xigbar to reappear again—Ixta had never lasted this long in a fight with him. "Where is he? Didn't we agree that leaving the battlefield would result in an instant loss?"

"Xigbar is reloading his weapons. His most vulnerable moment," Vexen pointed out, arms crossed and looking bored. "Look up."

"Gotcha!" Axel threw both chakram at Xigbar, high up in a corner of the ceiling. Vexen and Ixta toed the line where the designated ring ended, and technically, Xigbar was still inside.

The chakram might have cleaved him roughly in half had he not winked out of his spot again. Axel spun in place and then leapt back as Xigbar popped in behind him again, the barrel of his gun swiping at him.

"That trick's getting older than you are," Axel taunted. His chakram spun back toward him, and he let his chakram float and spin over his hands as his weapons burst into flame. He was getting ready to come at his opponent. "Try a new one!"

"Like this?" Xigbar appeared far across him. Axel charged forward, chakram ready. He would have thrown one in anticipation of the Freeshooter disappearing again, but Xigbar only prepared his guns.

Axel chuckled, but he should have paid attention. As soon as he was close enough to hit Xigbar, the man lunged out of the way, revealing a shocked Ixta behind him. She drew her arms up in an X, instinctively summoning her temporary green shield, but the momentum of the chakram couldn't be stopped. Its spinning burst through the barrier.

"No!" Axel withdrew the weapon as quickly as he could, but Ixta had fallen back, recoiling in pain. He rushed forward, crouching next to her. "Ixta?"

"I'm fine," she said, a learned habit from her Other. But his fire had hissed through her coat sleeves, and her arms were burned. She crossed them over herself without letting them touch, attempting to heal one arm with the other as she breathed heavily.

"Sorry," he said, reaching to support her elbow. Xigbar's guffaw snapped him out of it.

"I win!" he grinned, letting his weapons vanish. "First one out of the ring loses. I'm disappointed, Axel."

Ixta looked up, watching Xigbar with a look unfamiliar to Axel. Dislike. "You cheated."

"First one out of the ring loses. Never said anything about bringing anything outside in, bait." Xigbar shrugged. "Hey, I heard Lexaeus has been giving you a few pointers. Here's mine: use everything in your arsenal when you're fighting, Ixta. You should figure out that Limit Break of yours soon. Might come in handy one day." He hummed. Of course he wasn't finished speaking yet. Was he ever? "Want some help with that? Well—maybe Axel here can help a little more."

"No thank you," Ixta responded while Axel ignored him.

"I'm going back to the laboratory, now that things have gotten incredibly dull," Vexen said, sounding disgusted. "I learned nothing here today, Xigbar. Ixta, I will call upon you when you've decided not to be utterly useless."

"Okay," was all Ixta said.

Vexen sighed and disappeared into the darkness.

"I'll take you back to your room," Axel turned to Ixta when he was gone. "Vexen probably has something in the lab to speed that up."

"I'm fine, Axel," Ixta insisted. "But I'll go back to my—"

"Ohh, hey, Saïx!" Xigbar cut in. "You made it! What did you think?"

Axel glanced over his shoulder. He didn't noticed when Saïx had arrived, but judging by the especially dour look on his face, he'd done so some time ago. But there wasn't much to say other than what he already knew—Saïx would be unhappy that Axel let Xigbar trick him, and he didn't want to or care to hear any of it right now.

"Come on," he said to Ixta, who got to her feet. She waved at Saïx as Axel walked her into a Corridor.

Xigbar watched them go, and then looked at the only one left in the room. "Trouble in paradise, Number Two?"

"That is none of your concern. Don't waste my time like this again."

"You sure?" Xigbar grinned, circling the Diviner. "I know Vexen is pretty dense, but I think I gave you pretty important information just there."

"Hmph."

"Welp, I'm off. You should be careful, Saïx," said Xigbar, opening his own Corridor. "Still got a few pieces to knock off the board before you can be the Superior's top  _dog_."

With a conspiratorial wink, Xigbar disappeared.

* * *

Only the sound of running water filled the bathroom. With her cloak off, Ixta held one bare arm under the faucet while the other healed it, and then switched them every so often. Axel watched her quietly.

"Do you – or would you – feel guilty?" Ixta asked, looking at him from across the mirror. "It was Xigbar's fault."

"I'm—I'm not guilty," Axel replied, though he had seemed surprised at the question. "I'm just… Or I guess if I cared, I would be annoyed. Can't believe I let Xigbar trick me like that. Come to think of it, I've never really sparred with him…"

Ixta shook her head. "I've sparred with him enough to last me several lifetimes."

Axel grinned, only to see the reflection of her burns in the mirror. Ixta watched his face fall.

"It'll take time to heal," she said, "but my abilities will make things faster."

"Can't believe Vexen locked the lab." Axel paused. "Actually, I can."

Ixta chuckled, only to wince when she moved her arm. He grimaced at the sight, and exhaled slowly.

"Listen," he said, touching her elbow. "It probably doesn't matter to you, but… it's a hassle, at least. So, uh… sorry."

"It's all right," she murmured, looking up at him and freezing. She hadn't noticed their sudden proximity or the heat that he exuded until just that moment.

Ixta was unable to will herself to move. For a beat, she wondered if she was paralyzed – or if he was, because he wasn't moving, either. But she wasn't. Because she was moving, little by little. She drew forward, and his grip supporting her elbow tugged her closer. Suddenly Ixta found herself fascinated with his mouth, and he…

"Ow!" she yelped. Axel had pulled at her too hard, too fast, and the sudden pain broke the spell.

"Sorry," he repeated, raising his hands as though burnt.

Ixta was breathing heavily. Inexplicably. She searched her Other's memories for experience – what was she going to do? This was all so strange. Suddenly, it was difficult to look at Axel. This reminded her of the almost-embarrassment she felt earlier, but it was still different. She wanted desperately to be here, but she didn't, either.

"I need to focus on healing," she finally said, raising her head but glancing away. She saw it from the corner of her eye and felt it, too – Axel's gaze – but she couldn't meet it. "Or I won't be able to perform missions properly."

"Oh… right," Axel nodded. "See you tomorrow."

"All right."

By then, she had turned back to the sink. Axel stepped out of the bathroom, only to look back, but Ixta didn't. Any strong tug of emotion, or the memory of it, she could trace back to Sora. But just then? Even now?

The feeling was completely foreign. For Axel alone.

How could that be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Thanks for your kudos and comments. We'd love to hear more from you!
> 
> So things here seem to be moving along... a little too fast, right? Maybe? It's physical attraction. If you're keeping track of Ixta's development as well as Axel's, we would say Axel's a little further ahead mostly because Ixta is so obsessed with Sora and isn't really thinking about her own feelings the way Axel might. Don't worry. Next chapter will slow things down...unfortunately. Haha! If you think Axel's going way too fast, just think of it this way. I know Axel is this super cool super smooth dude, but we see that in his interactions with children (Xion and Roxas). And with people he's going to murder (Vexen, Zexion). 
> 
> If you notice, when Larxene gets touchy in Re:CoM, he kind of just looks away or avoids it. Mostly because he IS starting to have a conscience when it comes to Sora, but also probably because he became a Nobody early and never really had girls flirting with him? If we assume that Lea got turned almost immediately at the end of BBS, or even if he was trapped with the apprentices without turning into a Nobody, he still wouldn't have had experience with girls. And now that he's begun to see Ixta in a different light because she has grown on him a bit (especially because she has grown touchy, and the added jealousy in Ch6 (green-eyed)), he's going to be a little unsure of things himself.
> 
> As for Ixta... she is starting to notice Axel, or the way she reacts to him, but her obsession with Sora slows things down. She's still doing what Tai would do, after all. But there is something here that is genuinely Ixta, in that she deviates from Tai's behavior: seeking comfort. Something that, if you remember one of the previous chapters, Tai never did (ex. crying about a boy lol she didn't even go to her friends) . Get it? Deviates? Deviations? Can you find the others in this chapter? Why do I sound like a children's show character now?
> 
> ANYWAY please leave your comments below, we'd love to hear from you! And we hope you enjoyed the chapter. Till next time!


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